Kaohsiung City health authorities are stepping up their efforts to control dengue fever as the number of cases continues to climb, officials said yesterday.
The number of residents infected with the mosquito-borne virus in Kaohsiung has risen to 149, according to the city's health department.
The outbreak began in October with 71 cases reported.
Of the city's dengue fever patients, 138 are residents of Chienchen (前鎮) in central Kaohsiung with several residents in other districts, including Hsiaokang (小港) and Linya (苓雅), also infected.
The department stressed that mosquitoes in areas outside Chienchen do not carry the virus.
The timely confirmation of infections allowed for the early extermination of mosquitoes that might have carried the virus, according to the department.
"Winter in Taiwan this year has been unusually warm. Residents should be aware that because of this, the mosquito vector of the dengue virus is likely to remain active until next month," said Joe Lin (林盟喬), the health department's vice commissioner.
The department is strengthening its efforts to exterminate mosquitoes in districts where dengue fever patients reside and to promote awareness of the need to reduce larval breeding sources -- stagnant water.
Lin said about 500 volunteers have been trained to carry out public health education.
The department would continue fining people who refuse to cooperate with health authorities in cleaning up their residences, Lin said.
The department issued its first ticket in early November to a resident who refused to clean a large bucket filled with water in which there were a large number of larva.
Lin said those who refuse to comply with authorities' control efforts would be fined between NT$10,000 and NT$150,000.
The department said anyone who is infected with dengue who lives outside of Chienchen contracted the virus while visiting the district.
Dengue fever causes severe, flu-like symptoms and is primarily found in the tropics. It rarely causes death.
RSS