Dengue is sickened more than 2800 people and killed four in Thailand this year, raising concerns about a possible epidemic in spite of broader efforts to combat the disease, the Ministry of Health said Sunday.
A total of 2,824 cases of bites poisoning were detected in Thailand from 1 January-February. 9, compared to 1702 cases with no deaths reported during the same period in 2007, the ministry said in a statement.
Countries throughout South-East Asia has experienced the worst outbreaks of dengue in the years 2007, with about 60000 Thailand reports 29 cases and deaths. Large outbreaks also occurred in Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore and Cambodia.
The dengue virus causes severe joint pain, high fever, nausea and a rash. In the worst cases, it can cause internal bleeding, liver enlargement, circulatory arrest and sometimes death. There is no vaccine or known cure.
Scientists fear rising temperatures and rainy seasons over - like Thailand enjoyed last year - will allow more mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue and malaria to flourish.
"The mosquitoes that transmit the dengue virus have also been able to adapt to climate change, more and more resistant to drought and reproduce faster," ministry official Praj Boonyarowong said in the statement.
The ministry has advised people to protect themselves against mosquitoes by ridding their homes and surroundings flowerpots, old tires and threw bottles or cans, where stagnant water can collect and enable the insect to reproduce.
