Dengue fever hits before rains this year

Vietnam has recorded around 13,000 cases of dengue fever so far this year, about 2.3 times higher than the same period in 2022, according to the Ministry of Health.

The rising numbers of cases have been recorded in mainly in central and southern localities, the General Department of Preventive Medicine reported.

However, Hanoi has also not been spared.

The capital’s Center for Disease Control (CDC) has recorded 172 dengue fever cases in 23 of 30 districts, a 20-fold increase from the same period last year.

The health ministry said abnormal weather conditions have contributed to the rise in the number of cases. Normally dengue does not hit in such numbers until the rainy season.

A surge in cases is expected soon as the country enters the rainy season, it added.

On Monday, the ministry asked localities to ramp up environmental cleanup efforts to curb the spread of outbreaks. Medical facilities must ensure enough medicine and equipment to treat patients, it added.

Vietnam recorded over 361,000 cases of dengue fever last year, with 133 deaths. Hanoi alone recorded over 19,000 dengue fever cases.

There is no effective cure for dengue fever, and treatments mainly deal with symptoms. Symptoms include high fever, muscle pain and hemorrhaging.