Dengue Cases on the Rise in Thailand 26,000 Cases, With 30 Fatalities in 5 Months

BANGKOK – Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health has estimated that, this year, dengue fever cases may reach the 100,000 mark as statistics since January show more than 26,000 cases, with 30 fatalities. Most of the cases are of Type 2 dengue, which is the most serious of the four types.

According a 5 June report from the Department of Disease Control (DDC), there have been 26,430 cases of dengue in just over five months with 41 fatalities. This is 1.8 times the rate of 2018 for the same time period.

The DDC reveals that the southern region has the highest rate (46.78 per 100,000 people) followed by central, north-eastern and the northern region. The highest number of patients are between 5 and 14 years old.

Of the 2,885 cases recorded in the northern region, 313 are from people in Chiang Rai but so far, without reported fatalities.

To deal with the problem, especially removing the breeding grounds of striped mosquito’s, a tougher law has been promulgated which requires owners of houses and other premises to destroy mosquito breeding grounds or face a maximum prison sentence of three months and/or a fine of up to 25,000 baht.

Health and local administration officials have been visiting villagers to educate, Chiang Rai,  them about how to get rid of mosquito breeding grounds by disposing of stagnant water and water stored in containers outside their houses or by putting salt or vinegar in the water.

By Geoff Thomas