12 provinces including Nghe An have high number of dengue fever cases, Ministry of Health directs to strengthen prevention

The Ministry of Health stated that, in recent times, with the drastic participation of Party committees, authorities at all levels, departments and branches from the central to local levels, the work of preventing and combating dengue fever has achieved encouraging results. However, in recent weeks, the number of dengue fever cases has tended to increase in some localities; some provinces and cities still record high numbers of cases and there have been deaths.

Provinces and cities that continuously record high weekly dengue fever cases include: Nghe An, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, Ben Tre, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.

The current weather is favorable for the development and increase in the density of mosquitoes transmitting dengue fever, the risk of the number of cases continuing to increase sharply in the coming time if drastic measures are not taken to prevent and control the epidemic. In order to control the epidemic situation well, not to let the epidemic spread and last long; The Ministry of Health recommends that the People's Committees of provinces and cities continue to pay attention to directing and assigning the People's Committees at all levels to directly direct and more strongly implement the activities of eliminating mosquito larvae/wigglers in the area right in July 2020 and maintain activities once a week in high-risk areas, twice a week in areas with high mosquito, mosquito larvae/wiggler indexes and once a month in the remaining areas.

The health sector is closely monitoring the thorough handling of dengue fever outbreaks in the locality. Illustrative photo

The health sector closely monitors the thorough handling of dengue fever outbreaks in the locality. Organizes chemical spraying in 100% of households in the outbreak area. Ensures proper chemical spraying techniques, evaluates vector indices before and after spraying to have specific spraying indications. Identify high-risk areas to organize large-scale chemical spraying.

The Department of Information and Communications, mass media agencies coordinate with the health sector to carry out propaganda activities to prevent and control dengue fever, diversify communication activities so that people understand and proactively implement measures to prevent and control dengue fever such as: Turning unused water containers upside down, killing mosquito larvae/wrigglers, using mosquito nets, preventing mosquito bites, communicating about signs of dengue fever and instructing people not to self-treat at home when they get sick, but to go to medical facilities immediately for timely examination and treatment. Focus on communication before and during the implementation of mosquito larvae/wriggler eradication campaigns and mosquito spraying campaigns so that people know and cooperate in implementation.

Direct medical examination and treatment facilities to organize well the admission and treatment of patients, minimize deaths due to dengue fever, especially at private medical examination and treatment facilities, avoid the situation where patients do not receive timely consultation, emergency care, treatment and referral, and at the same time have a plan to allocate treatment routes, support lower levels, and avoid hospital overload.

Organize interdisciplinary inspection teams of authorities at all levels to inspect and supervise the implementation of instructions from the Ministry of Health and People's Committees of provinces and cities.