The Public Health Ministry is encouraging the public to use mosquito repellents as a preventive measure against dengue fever, with reported cases reaching 17,783, exceeding last year’s count during the same period.
Public Health Minister Dr Cholnan Srikaew highlighted the urgency of the situation, revealing that the outbreak has already resulted in 25 deaths across 16 provinces.
To tackle the growing crisis, Dr Cholnan has instructed provincial disease control committees to work alongside health volunteers to locate and treat mosquito breeding areas with insecticides. Additionally, he has assigned the responsibility of regularly conducting thermal fogging in communal areas to related agencies to lower both the mosquito population and the possibility of dengue spreading.
Discussing the severity of the dengue outbreak compared to other illnesses, Department of Disease Control Director-General Thongchai Keeratihuttayakorn pointed out that the mortality rate for dengue stands at 0.14 per 100 cases, which is substantially higher than that of influenza and COVID-19.
Backing its preventive campaign, the ministry is dedicating 74.8 million baht to distribute anti-mosquito products to the public. Thongchai said a mere five days of diligent mosquito bite prevention could lead to an estimated 219 million baht in saved treatment costs, noting the significant economic and health advantages of early action against the virus. (NNT)
