Vietnam Biggest City Reports 10,473 Dengue Fever Cases Year-to-Date

The Health Department in Vietnam’s southern economic hub of Ho Chi Minh City has warned of the rising number of dengue fever patients with 10,473 cases recorded so far this year. The mosquito-borne disease has claimed ten lives during the period, compared to seven from mid-Oct, Nguyen Tan Binh, the department’s deputy head said at a meeting on the disease situation Nov 17. Up to 313 dengue fever sufferers have been admitted to hospitals this week, compared to 268 last week, he attributed. The patients are mainly found in the inner city, including District 1, 4, 7, Binh Thanh, Phu Nhuan, Tan Phu, Thu Duc, Cu Chi, Hoc Mon, Binh Chanh districts, Binh said, adding that prolonged rains are ideal for mosquitoes to spread the disease. Meanwhile, the number of people with hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) has tended to decline with 223 infections reported this week, compared to 272 from the previous week. HCM City has also recorded 25 deaths out of total 9,000 HFMD patients since early this year, accounting for 22% and 15% of the country’s total cases, respectively. (Tien Phong – Pioneer Nov 18 p2, Sai Gon Giai Phong –Saigon Liberation Nov 18 p1, Nguoi Lao Dong online – Laborer Nov 17)