VnnNews – The number of dengue patients is on the rise in many provinces and cities, especially Hanoi, said the vice chief of the Preventive Health and Environment Agency.
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However, it turns out, not all patients showing dengue symptoms actually have dengue.
Nam told Tuoi Tre newspaper: “Of 6750 dengue cases in Hanoi, 40 percent are infected with Dengue virus. The rest can possibly be explained by Aedes Albopictus mosquitoes which cause a disease similar to dengue which has appeared in India, Thailand and Singapore in recent years.”
According to the latest Preventive Health and Environment report the dengue pandemic seems be reducing this week but the number of patients is still high. On average, Hanoi has around 520 patients per week, HCM City 270, Soc Trang 170, An Giang 151 and Tien Giang 144.
Reports from provinces and cities revealed that there were 2,298 patients last week, with three deaths in Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Tay Ninh and HCM City.
So far this year, the capital city has had almost 7000 dengue patients, 14 times higher than last year said Nam. In the past ten years, the number of dengue patients in Hanoi was always at the lowest level in the country.
Up to 50 percent of patients in Hanoi are students and immigrant workers.
Regarding the new virus doctors are saying that now Aedes Albopictus mosquotos have been found in Hanoi, the new virus named Chikungunya can exist.
This type of virus is transmitted by Aedes albopictus mosquitoes and causes a similar disease to dengue, but at gentler level. However, fatal cases have been reported in India.
According to Nam, it is very difficult to define which mosquitoes carry dengue virus and which Chikungunya virus.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has granted Vietnam 50 kits to test for Chikungunya.
VietNamNet/Tuoi Tre
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