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New Delhi, 9 August, 2007: The World Health Organization
Regional Office for South-East Asia (SEARO) is urging countries in the
South-East Asia Region to take prompt action to prevent and contain outbreaks
of dengue, a mosquito-borne viral illness.
The number of reported dengue cases has
increased in Indonesia, Myanmar and Thailand compared to last year. Indonesia
has twice the number of cases this year (compared to 45 777 cases during the
same period in 2005). Myanmar
and Thailand
are seeing increases of 29% and 17 %, respectively, in the number of dengue
cases over the same period.
Many other countries in Asia
and the Pacific are already facing an unprecedented increase in dengue this
year.
Experience from previous years shows that in
countries such as India, including the capital, New Delhi, dengue outbreaks
begin to increase from August onwards soon after the monsoons.
According to Regional Director of WHO
South-East Asia, Dr Samlee Plianbangchang, “Dengue is a man-made problem
related to human behaviour”, which is affected by “globalization, rapid
unplanned and unregulated urban development, poor water storage and
unsatisfactory sanitary conditions. These factors provide an increase in the
breeding habitats of the mosquito.”
The dengue virus spreads through the bite of
the infectious female Aedes mosquito, primarily Aedes aegypti, which breeds
in artificial containers and improperly managed garbage where clean or clear
water accumulates. Since dengue and dengue haemorrhagic fever are ecological
diseases, prevention is the key to effective control. Surveillance of vectors
and the disease are both very critical because outbreaks of dengue are
generally preceded by increased vector populations in local areas.
“Vector control, such as the control of
mosquito breeding in domestic and peri-domestic areas, is imperative for
prevention of dengue. This requires the full participation and mobilization
of the community at the individual and household level,” said Dr Jai P.
Narain, Director of Communicable Diseases for WHO SEARO.
Individuals, families, community support
groups, self-help groups, NGOs, local authorities and departments of health
need to work together to address the current situation because dengue is
everyone’s concern. Individuals can take simple steps such as emptying all
water containers at least once a week and ridding their surroundings of
containers that collect rain water, which will help to prevent the laying of
eggs by the mosquitoes that are the dengue vector.
Aedes mosquitoes bite only in the daytime,
unlike malaria-carrying mosquitoes. Often persons infected with dengue suffer
from mild flu-like symptoms, and may not realise they have the disease. Aside
from joint pain, dengue victims experience rashes, nausea and headaches. But
some also suffer a potentially fatal form called dengue haemorrhagic fever,
which causes internal bleeding and circulatory failure. Aspirin should be
avoided in cases of dengue fever, as it is known to increase the tendency to
bleed. Physicians and clinicians are urged to follow national guidelines for
case management of dengue and dengue haemorrhagic fever.
No vaccine has yet been found for any of the
four strains of dengue virus, and none of the four confer immunity from the
others.
For any clarification or additional
information, please contact Ms Vismita Gupta-Smith, Public Information and Advocacy officer, phone: 91-11-23370971 Email: guptasmithv@searo.who.int. Ms Shima Roy, Communication Officer,
Department of Communicable Diseases, at telephone: 011 23309 591, mobile: 99106 99079 (email roys@searo.who.int)
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