HCMC leaders survey a residential area with dengue cases in HCMC at the end of May (Photo: SGGP)
Because of the skyrocket in the number of dengue fever cases and deaths in many southern provinces and cities, the Ministry of Health requested the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, the Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City, the Pasteur Institute in Nha Trang, and the Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology in the Central Highlands region to immediately set up working groups to directly inspect and support localities, especially areas with a high number of cases and deaths.
Amongst localities with the high number of deaths, Ho Chi Minh City has had six deaths while the southern provinces of Binh Duong, Tay Ninh, and Dong Nai reported five deaths, three deaths, and three deaths respectively.
At the same time, health institutions must analyze and evaluate the situation and causes of the increase in dengue fever and the risk of disease outbreaks in the provinces and cities in the areas where institutions are in charge of.
Additionally, they ought to promptly report the situation in their localities to help the Ministry of Health direct the disease prevention and control mission.
The Ministry of Health warned that now is the peak of the dengue season; therefore, the number of cases has continuously increased in many provinces and cities in recent weeks.
Worse, it is forecast that the number of dengue cases will continue to increase in the coming time and may spread if responsible agencies do not take drastic measures to prevent and control the epidemic.
According to the Ministry of Health’s request, to prevent the spread of dengue and reduce the number of cases and deaths, relevant agencies must guide localities to closely monitor the situation of patients in the area. All patients should be diagnosed early for timely treatment.
Moreover, the health sector in localities must soon handle outbreaks as well as spray insecticides to kill mosquitoes in high-risk areas.
Local administrations and the health sector should increase communication before and during the implementation of the campaigns to kill larvae and the campaign of spraying chemicals to kill mosquitoes to encourage inhabitants to cooperate during the implementation of the campaign. Localities are urged to enhance communication activities in June and July 2022 in response to the ASEAN Day of Dengue.
At the same time, locals are encouraged to regularly clean the environment by disposing of unused standing water containers where water may gather into a covered bin and by turning upside down all water containers to prevent mosquitoes from laying eggs.
