Dengue fever is on a rapid rise in the southern provinces of Ca Mau, Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Tay Ninh, Bac Lieu and Binh Thuan as well as in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.

More than 600 people have been infected with dengue fever in 27 out of 29 districts in Hanoi alone.

According to the Department of Preventive Medicine under the Ministry of Health, in October alone, Vietnam had reported around 43,822 cases of dengue fever with 47 fatalities.

Though the death toll has shown a decline of 39.7 percent and despite a 53 percent drop in the number of infected cases over the same period last year, the disease is still spreading rapidly across the country since the beginning of this year.

Dr. Nguyen Van Binh, head of the Department of Preventive Medicine, said people are more susceptible to the infection during the current flood season as stagnant water is most conducive for mosquitoes to flourish.

Hence, all families need to implement measures to prevent the disease. There is no antidote against dengue fever and the only way to prevent the disease is to avoid being bitten by the Aedes mosquitoes, Dr. Binh added.

Citizens are being encouraged to keep their surroundings clean and spray mosquito repellent.
People should follow recommendations made by the health sector, such as sleeping under mosquito nets, using traditional methods to exterminate mosquitoes and immediately admit affected persons to hospitals.