PhnomPenhPost-July 11
In a little more than six months, dengue fever cases have risen to nearly 3,000 and killed several people. This was a threefold increase over the same period last year, according to the National Dengue Control Program (NDCP). NDCP director Leang Rithea said that from January 1 to July 10, NDCP had recorded 2,869 cases and seven deaths, mostly children. He attributed his year’s increase to climate change, saying that frequent rainfall meant an increase in standing water – the breeding ground for the mosquitoes that carry the disease. “We know that it rained more this year. There are several factors contributing to the increase in cases –climate change, heat, humidity, rainfall. Ultimately, the more it rains, the more mosquitoes there are,” he added. Rithea said that despite the increases, the NDCP had brought it under control by working with many partners, especially local authorities. He added that NDCP would continue to lay out measures to educate people, distribute the anti-dengue larvicide Abate and carry out spraying operations, with a particular focus on infected locations. Kampong Thom provincial health department director Srey Sin said that as of the 28th week of the year, the province had recorded 77 dengue cases – similarly to previous years. He said that cases had increased over the last two months, and he expected them to grow more. “NDCP has prepared 70,000 serums and has 9,000 litres of mosquito spray in stock. We have received 200 tonnes of the anti-dengue larvicide Abate, which we will add to the 200-tonne stockpile remaining from last year’s wet season. We have the materials we need to control this year’s dengue situation,” said Rithea. Read more at: https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/dengue-fever-cases-threefold
