Number of dengue fever cases in Hanoi increased 3 times

On March 18, a representative of the Hanoi Center for Disease Control (CDC) said that recently, the city has recorded many sporadic cases of dengue fever while this disease usually occurs from July to November every year. The average number of cases is from 17 to 24 cases per week. The districts with the most cases are Dong Da with 81 cases, Ha Dong 58, Hoang Mai 43, Hai Ba Trung 32,...

Thus, since the beginning of the year, the capital has recorded 513 people with dengue fever, a 3-fold increase compared to the same period in 2023, including 5 outbreaks.

Experts say the characteristics and virulence of the dengue virus are not unusual compared to previous years. However, the reason the disease appeared early and increased is because prevention and control work in some places was not drastic enough. In addition, the erratic weather, humidity, and heavy rain are favorable conditions for disease-causing mosquitoes to develop.

Hanoi CDC predicts that the number of infected people will increase in the coming time, and recommends that people not be subjective. Currently, the Department of Health is developing a plan to implement disease prevention and control, and localities are preparing scenarios to respond to each level of the epidemic.

Last year, Hanoi recorded 37,441 cases of dengue fever, 2.4 times higher than in 2022, including 4 deaths.

Globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that the incidence of dengue fever has increased more than 30-fold over the past 50 years. An estimated 50-100 million cases occur annually in over 100 endemic countries, posing a risk to nearly half of the world's population.

WHO has warned that dengue fever is the fastest spreading tropical disease and a "pandemic threat". Climate change, El Nino, increased urbanization and trade between countries could make the disease continue to develop complicatedly, especially in areas with high endemicity, including Vietnam.

Dengue fever is an acute infectious disease caused by a virus, lasting for about a week. Initially, the patient has a high fever for 6 days, accompanied by body and muscle aches. From day 3 to 7, platelets gradually decrease, blood thickens, the patient may have bleeding in the mucous membranes, internal organs, blood clotting disorders, and may have dengue shock.

There is currently no specific treatment, mainly symptomatic treatment and monitoring of warning signs. Patients need to be hospitalized when they have one of the following signs: Mucosal bleeding, for example teeth, nose, digestive tract; abdominal pain in the liver area; severe vomiting; rapid decrease in platelets and concentrated blood; little or much decrease in urine; multi-pleural effusion such as lung, abdomen...