China issues alerts for Dengue fever
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-10-11 14:16
China's Health Ministry issued an alert on Tuesday for dengue fever, a
potentially fatal, mosquito-borne disease, as the peak season continues in south
China.
"Health departments at all levels must closely monitor the dengue fever
outbreaks and strengthen detection to make sure that all prevention measures are
properly carried out," Mao Qun'an, the ministry's spokesman said at a press
conference.
He warned that south China is still at the peak season for dengue fever
outbreaks as the average temperature of 28 degrees is prime mosquito breeding
weather.
Mao called for great public effort to eradicate mosquitoes by cleaning up the
environment.
China reported 502 dengue cases in September but no one has died from the
disease. Most of the cases occurred in south China's Guangdong Province, where
492 cases have been reported Sporadic cases occurred in other provinces but they
were mainly brought by people traveling from south China.
Dengue causes severe fever and can lead to vomiting, nausea and body rash. It
can cause severe pain in the joints. Also called bone-breaker's disease, some
dengue strains cause internal bleeding and death.
A larger outbreak sickened more than 1,000 people in Guangzhou in 2002 but
caused no fatalities.
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