Dengue fever has claimed 59 lives out of more than 80,000 affected people in provinces and cities across Vietnam since early this year, the Ministry of Health said. The southern region tops the nation with over 43,844 patients, down 26% on-year, following by the central region with 21,638, soaring 168% on-year, the Dai Doan Ket newspaper reported Oct 25. Localities should launch more campaigns to encourage people to donate more blood to ease the current blood shortage of hospitals providing medical treatment of these patients. Health experts warned that the number of dengue fever patients is likely to increase in the forthcoming months of rainy season. The ministry has urged health authorities nationwide to take drastic measures to prevent the spread of dengue fever, such as killing mosquitoes and improving environment sanitation. (Dai Doan Ket – Great Unity Oct 25 p14)
