The number of cases of indigenous dengue fever since August now exceeds 1,000, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday, prompting officials to increase their preventative efforts.
The latest figures showed that of the 1,031 reported cases of indigenous dengue fever since August, more than half (589) originated in Kaohsiung, showing significant cluster infections in the area. Tainan came second (298), followed by Tainan County (90) and Kaohsiung County (32), the CDC said.
“New reported cases of indigenous dengue fever reached 128 last week alone, with most cases concentrated in Tainan and Kaohsiung — more specifically in Kaohsiung’s Sanmin (三民), Zuoying (左營) and Cianjhen (前鎮) districts,” centers Deputy Director-General Shih Wen-yi (施文儀) said.
To date, 12 cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever have been confirmed, including two in which the patient died, Shih said.
Dengue hemorrhagic fever affects individuals who contract two different strains of dengue in a relatively short period of time, and has a fatality rate of about 10 percent.
Shih said the high incidence of dengue cases had prompted local health bureaus to increase the frequency of spraying disinfectant and conducting checks on ditches and containers where water can collect and attract virus-carrying mosquitoes.
Last month, the CDC announced the creation of a central epidemic command center to deal with the outbreak. Although only a small number of isolated cases have been reported in the north in recent weeks, officials said they remained on the alert and would pay close attention to any signs the disease is moving northward.
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