(VNF) - On August 7^th, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has urged authorities to keep a close watch on the development of dengue fever in a conference held by the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Buon Ma Thuot City, Dak Lak province.

Deputy PM Dam ordered local authorities to tackle the dengue fever in the region (Source: baochinhphu.vn)

Speaking at the conference, Deputy PM Dam expressed his concern that the outbreak of the disease has imposed serious impacts on people’s health.

He urged local administrations to step up their communication campaigns to raise public awareness of disease prevention, including encouraging residents to use chemicals in their homes and high risk areas to kill mosquitoes and mosquito larvae.

He also stressed the need to detect cases of dengue fever and quickly bring the situation under control. People with dengue symptoms, such as high fever, headache and pain in muscles or joints, should go immediately to hospitals for examination and treatment, he said.

Deputy PM Dam talked to the patients and doctors at the Buon Ma Thuot General Hospital (Source: cand.com.vn)

Nguyen Thi Kim Tien, the Minister of MoH, was requested to be well-prepared and stay ready to provide supports for localities to limit the outbreak, while Health Departments must work out measures to prevent overloading at hospitals due to dengue fever.

Deputy PM Dam and Minister Tien checked the mosquito breeding prevention (Source: baochinhphu.vn)

According to a report by MoH, since the outset of this year, more than 7,400 dengue fever cases have been reported in Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Dak Nong and Kon Tum provinces, accounting for 15.1% of total cases detected nationwide.

Dak Lak and Gia Lai are among the top 10 cities and provinces across the country having the highest number of cases of dengue fever with 1,865 and 3,081 cases reported, respectively.

The outbreak in the region was attributed to low awareness of disease prevention, and hot weather and poor water storage in many localities, which facilitated the development of mosquito larvae./.

Minh Phuong ( baochinhphu.vn )