Dengue
 

A reminder that the Dengue season is in full swing in Thailand - the govt figures indicate that recorded instances of the disease so for this year appear to be between 20,000 and 35,000.
There have been some deaths too.

If you re visiting check up on what you can do to minimize the risk - Dengue is not restricted to rural areas - it likes urban environments.

below is my old post on Dengue from last year.

http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...d-358631-2.cfm

For Bali too, see below. Apply the bug spray, early and then again late in the day.

http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-...0702-zsqx.html

And dengue has reappeared in the USA:

http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2...united-states/

Long baggy clothes at dawn and dusk are a good precaution

The mosquito species that spreads dengue is not only active at dawn and dusk, but is active during the day, especially indoors.

Dengue is rife at the moment, that's true enough, just a kilometer from where I stay in Pattaya there have been outbreaks in one village.

It's time to be extra careful, use the repellent, cover up, use a fan.

The Aedes aegypti and the Aedes albopictus are both responsible for Dengue infection, both are very aggressive, persistent feeders.

Dengue fever is not the only mosquito borne disease spread by these mosquitoes, there have also been many recorded cases of Chikungunya fever and Filariasis, If anyone is interested and the mods don't mind, "it is a link to a post of my own" I will leave this link here, some good info on mosquito borne diseases.
http://www.pattayaunlimited.com/2010...-thailand.html

Kathie, Agree the convential wisdom here (Java/Bali) is that the dengue mosquito is a daytime mosquito, but I've never heard the "indoors" part. I wonder why that's significant.

We're mostly on alert during the rainy season when there are more likely to be stagnant pools of water everywhere that provide breeding grounds. This year, however, the "dry" season has been exceptionally rainy. Everyone's sick with something bronchial.

Because dengue has a range of symptoms from mild to very severe it's often misdiagnosed. I think that makes it a lot more prevalent than is commonly understood.

Dengue mozzie is regarded s a day time flyer - it is most active at dawn and dusk - the animal is not usually active during the heat of the dy for the simple reason it's too small to cope with the full sun and dehydration.
It hides in dark shady places during the day to shelter from the heat......laundry is a fvorite place as is furniture.

Marmot, I had always understood that the dengue mosquito was a daytime mosquito, but was surprised by the cdc's comments abut indoors. I guess it's significant because the dengue mosquito is different from the malarial mosquito in a number of ways. The dengue mosquito is a "city" mosquito, breeding in an upturned can with water in it or a tire or even a vase of flowers. The malaria mosquito is a rural mosquito, breeding in rice paddies and farm ponds. It's a reminder that even indoors in a city or developed area, a mosquito can be carrying dengue.

19-7-2010

Public Health Minister Jurin Laksanawisit said the dengue fever infection toll continues to rise. The accumulated number of patients now stands at 36,087 nationwide....

curious post on VOA - http://blogs.voanews.com/breaking-ne...ailand-dengue/

but it does underline the high figures for this year and the need for light colored clothing.

Officials say girls and young women in Thailand could be at risk because of a fashion craze.
The popularity of thin black leggings, a style imported from South Korea, may be responsible for a jump in the number of deaths from dengue fever.
Thailand’s deputy health minister is warning that dengue-bearing mosquitos are attracted to dark clothing and can easily bite through the thin fabric. He recommends that young women switch to light colors and jeans.
Thailand has recorded 43 deaths from dengue fever this year, up from just 30 in the first seven months of 2009. Of those who died this year, 26 were between the ages of 10 and 24.
There were more than 45,000 cases of the disease through the end of July, compared to fewer than 32,000 in the same period last year.

....and this update.
http://crofsblogs.typepad.com/h5n1/2...-critical.html

Via ReliefWeb, a report from the Royal Thai Government: Thailand: Dengue fever outbreak situation still critical.
The situation of dengue fever outbreak is still a worry as the number of infected patients continues to soar.
Minister of Public Health Jurin Laksanawisit said the overall situation of the dengue fever spread was still considered critical.
This year, the number of infections is 83% higher than last year and seems to be rising. The numbers during past few months were also higher than the same period of last year by 40%.
The cumulative infection toll since January stands at 48,514. Out of this number, 53 died. Last week alone, 3,135 more people were infected with 10 dead.
The top 10 provinces with the highest infection rate are Chanthaburi, Tak, Songkhla, Narathiwat, Satun, Pattani, Krabi, Trat, Phatthalung, and Rayong.