Thai health officials on alert against dengue fever

BANGKOK, June 5 (TNA) - The Thai Ministry of Public Health is on high alert against dengue fever, after four patients have died from the disease since early this year. Squadron Leader Dr. Boonruang Trairuangworawat, Director-General of the ministry's Department of Health Service Support (HSS), said on Thursday, citing official statistics, that there had been 6,897 dengue fever patients in Thailand from January 1-May 27, 2014, four of them had died. According to the senior official, dengue fever patients were mostly found in Bangkok during the period at 1,218 cases, followed by 265 cases in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, 257 cases in Songkhla Province, 248 cases in Samut Prakan Province and 207 cases in Chon Buri Province. As dengue fever normally spreads during the rainy season, from June to September in Thailand, carried by common house mosquitoes, the senior official told reporters that his department has mobilised village health volunteers to help locals destroy water sources which are breeding grounds of common house mosquitoes in order to prevent and contain dengue fever outbreaks in the country. Besides, village health volunteers have been sent to local communities, schools and hospitals to inspect and provide people with proper information on how to prevent themselves from dengue fever infections during the rainy season. The HSS also advised that people should sleep inside mosquito nets, install wire nets and apply mosquito repellent on their bodies, while children should also be told not to play in dark and damp areas and classrooms and offices should have enough sunlight and sufficient rooms for air to flow through.(TNA)