HCM City authorities wary of dengue, Zika as rains begin

It
said relevant agencies should organise campaigns and encourage locals to
destroy mosquitoes and larvae by clearing wastes in which water could collect
to prevent the spread of the diseases.

It
instructed the city Department of Health to follow the Ministry of Health’s directions
to closely monitor the spread of the diseases.

The
department should also ensure there are enough drugs and other medical supplies
for effective prevention of the diseases since the city is seeing outbreaks, it
said.

It
has been ordered to regularly report on the situation to the People’s Committee
and ministry.

It
has also been ordered to collaborate with the city Department of Information
and Communication to strengthen public communication about preventive methods
to improve awareness and prevent the spread of inaccurate information to avoid
panic.

According
to the city Preventive Health Centre, there have been 233 cases of dengue in
the last two weeks, 6.9 percent higher than in the previous four weeks.

This
year there have been a total of 7,779 cases, almost unchanged from last year.

The
HCM City Hospital for Tropical Diseases has been admitting 20 dengue patients
every day since late last month.

Dr
Nguyen Thanh Phong, head of the hospital’s infectious diseases department D,
said the number of patients is increasing with the rains.

Of
the patients, several have been infected a second or third time because their
awareness of preventive methods is not high, he said.

He
explained that there are four common types of dengue strains, and getting
infected with one is no guarantee against contracting another kind.

A
second infection is more serious than the first, he said.

A
patient from District 8 who is being treated at the hospital said it was his
second dengue infection.

He
lives in a house on the edge of the Doi Canal, a place filled with mosquitoes.

Since
he had contracted dengue once earlier he thought he was immune and ignored
preventive methods, he said.

More
dengue cases

According
to the Dong Nai province Preventive Health Centre, there have been 1,365 dengue
cases this year.

Nhon
Trach district has reported the largest number, 441, or 32.3 percent of the
cases reported.

The
number is up by 77 percent from the same period last year.

Most
of cases have been in the communes of Long Tho, Phuoc Thien and Hiep Phuoc,
which are mostly home to migrant workers. They live in dank rented rooms
without standard drainage systems and surrounded by rubbish.

The
centre’s officials have sprayed chemicals two times so far this year to destroy
mosquitoes.

The centre has urged district health officials
to spread awareness of preventive methods.-VNA