Dengue fever outbreak in Vietnam sends thousands to hospitals

Dozens of patients have been admitted to a hospital in the Vietnamese capital amid an outbreak of dengue fever, representing just a fraction of the thousands of dengue cases nationwide.

About 100 patients, including children, were in Thanh Nhan hospital's dengue fever ward, with extra beds having been set up in the lobby.

The condition of most was reportedly very weak, and one mother was seen sitting with her daughter on her bed as she took care of her, Efe news agency reported.

Some patients were recovering after having been in the hospital for almost a week. Most will also stay in the hospital for several more days.

Since the beginning of the year Vietnam has recorded 17 deaths from the mosquito-borne fever, with more than 58,000 cases of dengue and more than 49,000 hospitalisation, according to a statement on the Health Ministry website.

Hospital admissions from dengue are up by 11.2 per cent and deaths up by three cases compared to the same period from last year.

The latest dengue outbreak is related to the early onset of summer and higher than average temperatures in the Southeast Asian country, leading to more favorable conditions for mosquito breeding, the Ministry said.

Dengue fever causes flu-like symptoms and can result in death if it develops into a complication called severe dengue, according to a World Health Organisation factsheet.

The fever is found in tropical regions of the world and though there is no treatment for it, early detection and medical attention lowers the fatality rate considerably.

--IANS

him/mr