The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday confirmed a cluster of seven indigenous cases of dengue fever in Kaohsiung’s Sanmin District (三民) and urged people to be on the lookout for mosquito breeding grounds.
Three women and three men aged 40 to 70 from the district’s Dingjin (鼎金) and Dingsi (鼎西) boroughs comprise six of the cases, the CDC said.
They are likely associated with a case in Dingjin that was announced on Wednesday, as they all live within a 250m radius, the centers said.
The six people had not traveled overseas recently and started showing symptoms from Monday to Thursday last week, CDC Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) said, adding that they were all confirmed to be infected with dengue virus serotype 4.
They are isolated in hospital to prevent transmission through mosquito bites, he said, adding that people who have had direct contact with them had shown no signs of dengue fever.
The Kaohsiung City Government on Thursday launched emergency dengue prevention and control measures, deploying more than 400 personnel to six boroughs near the six patients’ residences to inspect the environment and raise public awareness about the disease.
Eight indigenous dengue cases have been confirmed so far this year, all in Kaohsiung, the CDC said.
There have also been 153 imported dengue cases, the highest number for the period in 10 years, it said, adding that most of the imported cases were from Southeast Asian countries, including 55 from Indonesia and 32 from Vietnam.
Common symptoms include sudden onset of fever, headaches, pain behind the eyes, joint and muscle pain, and rashes, the CDC said, urging people with symptoms to immediately seek medical assistance and tell medical staff about their recent travel history.
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