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Published Date: 2012-06-30 00:20:44
Subject: PRO/MBDS> Dengue - Cambodia (08)
Archive Number: 20120630.1476

DENGUE - CAMBODIA (08)
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Date: Wed 27 Jun 2012
Source: The Phnom Penh Post [edited]
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2012062757040/National-news/dengue-death-toll.html

Dengue fever killed 8 people in the past 2 weeks, an alarming figure
which should put the public on alert to prevent a outbreak like the one
in 2007, government officials said yesterday [26 Jun 2012]. The death
toll now stands at 38 through the 1st 25 weeks of the year [2012], and
public health facilities have reported 8843 dengue cases in the Kingdom,
with 1642 cases in the past 2 weeks alone.

The updated numbers came from National Dengue Control Program director
Ngan Chanta, who had received updated records and described weeks 24 to
27 of the year [2012] as a "big peak of dengue," pointing to spikes in
both cases and deaths.

"This year [2012] has the same pattern as 2007," he said, but added that
a similar outbreak remains unlikely. In 2007, the country experienced a
particularly severe dengue epidemic, with 39 861 cases, and a fatality
rate of more than one percent. About 20 000 of the cases were reported
in the 1st half of the year.

But this year [2012], according to Ngan Chanta, fewer cases are being
reported because of the success of the national campaign to kill larvae,
and the dengue death rate has been cut to below 0.5 percent.

This year [2012], 140 tonnes of larvicide have been distributed, and
another 150 tons are planned for July and August. This represents double
the amount applied in 2007. "Because of the efforts we make to fight
dengue, this year's [2012] death rate is much lower [than in 2007],"
Ngan Chanta said.

The official added that delays in data collection may have distorted the
numbers, and the public can expect to see a drop in new cases after the
28th week.

[Byline: Xiaoqing Pi]

--
Communicated by:
PRO/MBDS
<promed-mbds@promedmail.org>

[According to the newswire above, a total of 8843 cases and 38 deaths
due to dengue infection were reported in Cambodia during the 1st 25
weeks of 2012. Of these, 7201 cases and 30 deaths were reported in the
1st 23 weeks of 2012 (see prior PRO/MBDS posting Dengue - Cambodia (07)
20120626.1451).

In Cambodia, 2 major epidemics of dengue occurred after 1997: there were
16 260 cases in 1998 and 39 618 in 2007. At present, there is no vaccine
to protect against dengue. The method to control or prevent the
transmission of dengue virus is to combat vector mosquitoes through
several actions. For example, preventing mosquitoes from accessing
egg-laying habitats by environmental management and modification (see
http://www.wpro.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs_09032012_Dengue/en/index.html).

For a map of Cambodia with provinces, see
http://ephotopix.com/image/asia/cambodia_province_map.gif. For the
interactive HealthMap/ProMED-mail map with links to other recent
PRO/MBDS and ProMED-mail postings on Cambodia and neighboring countries,
see http://healthmap.org/r/1iGB. - Mod.SCM]

See Also