The Kaohsiung City Government is calling on residents to intensify measures to prevent dengue fever by eliminating the sources which cause the virus, Kaohsiung Deputy Mayor Derek Chen (陳金德) said.
The Kaohsiung City Government is to hold workshops to educate the public about methods of combating dengue fever and to remind residents to keep their homes free of standing water, Chen said.
Chen is also mobilizing residents to voluntarily remove discarded water containers and other refuse from their neighborhoods that could potentially serve as breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
Kaohsiung health officials reminded residents to take precautionary measures against dengue fever since there is still no approved vaccine or drug to treat the mosquito-borne tropical disease.
Residents should seek medical treatment as soon as possible when symptoms of dengue fever become apparent, including fever, headache, severe muscle and joint pain, eye socket pain and skin rash, the Kaohsiung City Department of Health said.
This year, there had been 170 dengue fever cases reported in Kaohsiung as of Tuesday, including 148 indigenous cases and 22 imported from other countries.
The Kaohsiung City Government fears the number of dengue fever cases could increase during the rainy season, when the environment is most favorable for mosquito breeding.
Meanwhile, the number of dengue fever cases in Tainan is also on the rise, with 13 indigenous dengue fever cases confirmed between Sunday and Tuesday. A total of 74 cases have been reported in Tainan since May.
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