Dengue fever cases rise In Thailand

BANGKOK, March 17 (TNA) - Sixteen people have died from dengue fever while the number of patients throughout Thailand has risen to about 13,200 since the beginning of this year while the Public Health Ministry has urged every household to destroy striped mosquitoes before the situation deteriorates, according to Dr. Narong Sahametapat, permanent secretary for the Ministry. Senior officials of the ministry have attended a meeting recently and discussed the widespread of dengue fever in the country and have expressed dissatisfaction over the controlling measures, said Dr. Narong. The dissatisfaction was made following reports by the Ministry’s Disease Control Department that 16 patients had died between January 1 to March 11 while more than half of the total patients were aged lower than 14. Both the number of the dead and the patients were four times higher than the same period of last year, he said, adding that it showed striped mosquitoes which are carrier of the dengue fever were hiding in houses. The disease is found to be widespread in nine provinces. They are Songkhla, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Pattani and Yala in the South. Five other provinces are Nakhon Pathom, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Samut Prakan and Bangkok. Dr. Narong said provincial public health officials have been asked to urge householders to help in destroying striped mosquitoes breeding sources inside their houses and to close water containers to prevent the mosquitoes from breeding. (TNA)