Dengue fever, a potentially fatal, mosquito-borne disease, will be on the minds of many Guangdong residents in the coming months, after a large number of cases were reported in July, said an expert with the provincial center for disease control and prevention.

Eighty-five cases had been reported in July by Monday, although none of them were serious, according to the provincial health department.

The figure represents a big jump from seven in the same month last year, with just three in July 2011 and one in July 2010.