Published Date: 2007-09-26 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/MBDS> Dengue - Viet Nam (13): RFI
Archive Number: 20070926.3187
DENGUE - VIET NAM (13): REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
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A ProMED-mail post
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International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: Wed 26 Sep 2007
Source: VietNamNet Bridge [edited]
<http://english.vietnamnet.vn/social/2007/09/745035/>
The incidence of dengue fever in Viet Nam has risen by almost 50
percent this year [2007] against last year [2006], reports the Health Ministry.
About 68 000 people had been stricken with the mosquito-borne disease
[and 60 had died], Preventive Health Department director Nguyen Huy
Nga said on Monday [26 Sep 2007]. Most infections had occurred in
southern Dong Thap, An Giang, Tien Giang, and Ben Tre provinces and
the total increase was about 48 percent, he said.
HCM City [Ho Chi Minh] -based Pasteur Institute National Dengue Fever
Programme representative Luong Chan Quang said more than 58 000
people had been infected in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta provinces by
the end of August [2007]. Deaths were put at 54-40 percent more than
last year [2006].
Infections in Tien Giang Province totalled 9800 with 9 deaths, Dong
Thap 8700 with 9 deaths, and An Giang 6000 with 6 deaths.
In HCM City, almost 5400 people had been stricken with dengue fever
-- 40 percent more than last year [2006] -- and 6 had died.
Quang warned that another serious outbreak was likely in the southern
delta before the end of the year [2007] if effective preventive
measures were not taken because people regularly stored water to
prepare for the dry season.
The _Aedes_ mosquito, which carries dengue fever, breeds in still or
stagnant water.
HCM City Preventive Health Department deputy director, Nguyen Dac
Tho, said about 350 people were being admitted to hospital each week
with dengue fever -- 50 more than last year [2006].
Inner city districts 8, 10, 11, Binh Thanh, and Binh Tan were the
worst affected.
People in densely populated precincts stored more water for their own
use than others as did construction projects, said Dr Tho.
Dengue fever is most common among children under 10 but the number of
afflicted adults has increased this year [2007]. HCM City Tropical
Diseases Hospital figures show that of about 150 people admitted to
the hospital with dengue fever each week, more than 100 were adults.
There are 4 types of the dengue fever virus that often result in
similar symptoms. This year [2007], the transmitted virus was usually
Type [1] or Type [2].
Haemorrhagic fever is a severe, often fatal, complication of dengue fever.
The HCM City People's Committee has mobilised measures to prevent
dengue fever across the city. Citizens are encouraged to clean around
their residences every Sunday and spray mosquito killer.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-MBDS
<promed-mbds@promedmail.org>
[In the last ProMED-MBDS posting on the dengue situation in Viet Nam
(see Dengue - Viet Nam (12) 20070909.2971) there were reports of 52
017 cases of dengue to date for the year (2007). The newswire above
suggests that there are almost 68 000 cases reported to date (as of
yesterday, 25 Sep 2007) representing an increase of approximately 16
000 cases in the 15 days since the last report. The reported case
fatality rate is approximately one per 1000 cases. Of note is the
reported higher than expected incidence of dengue among adults. In
the 12 Jul 2007 ProMED-MBDS posting (see Dengue - Viet Nam (10):
DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3 20070712.2226), information provided on the
laboratory confirmation of 2007 reported dengue cases showed that
"serum tests have showed that 58 percent of cases contracted DEN-1
(dengue type 1) while the other 42 percent have tested positive for
all 3 types of the fever". There was further suggestion that DEN-1
was relatively new to the region so that the adult population was
susceptible to infection with DEN-1, which would explain the increase
in proportion of cases identified in adults noted above.
More information on the epidemiology of the current dengue outbreak
from knowledgeable sources in Viet Nam would be greatly appreciated.
For maps of Viet Nam with provinces and areas, see
<http://www.angelfire.com/co/hongnam/vnmap.html> and
<http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/middle_east_and_asia/vietnam_admin01.jpg>.
- Mod.MPP]