CHIANG RAI, June 29 – Thailand’s dengue fever situation this year is becoming more serious, with the tropical disease spreading quickly in the country’s north and south.
Dr Sura Kunkongkapan, Director of Mae Sai Hospital in Chiang Rai province, said the number of dengue patients in the country has spread quickly and more seriously compared to recent years, despite the fact that the rainy season has only just begun.
Around 40 patients per day on average received treatment at the hospital, 30 of whom are Thai and the rest Myanmar nationals from Tha Chi Lek province in Myanmar.
In Chiang Rai, there have been over 2,500 patients diagnosed with dengue fever from January 1-June 28 in 18 districts, three of whom have died. Mae Sai district has seen the highest number of patients at more than 700 people, followed by Mae Chan, Wiang Pa Pao, the provincial seat and Thoeng, respectively.
Meanwhile, in the southern province of Trang, Dr Rak Booncharoen, deputy mayor of Trang Munilicapality, led officials from local Public Health and Environment Division to fumigate 27 communities in order to destroy mosquito breeding grounds, as well as provide knowledge and distribute larvicidal sand granules to local communities for dengue prevention.
Dr Rak said the dengue situation in Trang Municipality is still controllable. However, there is so far one high risk community of 700 households where around 30 patients have already been diagnosed with dengue, while over 500 persons in 10 districts have been infected with the fever, the highest statistics recorded in the province. Nontheless, there has not yet been any casualties reported in Trang. (MCOT online news)
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