(VNF) - Hospitals across Hanoi are at full capacity treating dengue fever patients as 8,000 cases reported in the city so far.

Hospitals across Hanoi are at full capacity treating dengue fever patients as 8,000 cases reported in the city so far.

Since the beginning of this year, Vietnam has recorded more than 71,000 dengue fever cases, with some 60,000 people hospitalised, a year-on-year increase of 24.8 per cent. Hanoi alone has reported about 8,000 cases.

Due to the disease’s spread, most of Hanoi’s leading hospitals are overloaded.

Illustrative photo. (Source: VNA)

The National Hospital of Tropical Diseases treats hundreds of people with dengue fever symptoms every day, forcing its medical staff to work earlier and through weekends to fight the epidemic.

The hospital also established a care centre during daytime in its hall to reduce overloading. The centre, equipped with 20 beds, aims to serve patients from Hanoi who need daytime treatment before returning home in the evening.

Director of the hospital Nguyen Van Kinh predicts that the situation will continue due to abnormal weather and the increase of dengue patients in Hanoi.

Dong Da Hospital is also overloaded, serving 400-500 dengue patients daily, about 20 per cent of whom hospitalised. It has to arrange more space for dengue treatment, even in doctors’ workrooms.

Additionally, Thanh Nhan hospital receives some 300 patients with dengue fever every day.

The Health Ministry urged localities to continue implementing recommendations on dengue prevention and control which include destroying habitats where mosquitoes breed, ensuring a clean living environment, using mosquito repellents and wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants..

A health worker sprays mosquito repellent in an effort to control dengue outbreak. (Photo: VNA)

Last month, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc ordered local authorities to raise awareness of the dengue fever outbreak and urge citizens to destroy mosquitoes and larva.

In his notice on dengue control, the PM asked the People’s Committees of all cities and provinces to assign lower-level governments tasks to prevent the disease in their areas, intensify inspections at high-risk locations and penalise inpiduals and organisations that fail to take precautions.

Notably, he urged increased control of mosquitoes at construction sites and boarding houses which aren’t cleaned regularly, good conditions for mosquito larvae development.

The Ministry of Health was assigned to detect sources of infections, take preventive measures and provide training for healthcare workers on treating the disease.

The Ministry of Information and Communications and media agencies were asked to coordinate with the Ministry of Health to update the public on disease development and precautions.

Dengue fever is a viral infection transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito. There is no specific treatment for dengue and vaccination options are limited.

Patients who develop a sudden high fever of 39-40 degrees Celsius, lasting 2-7 days and with symptoms of headaches, tenderness and skin rashes should visit a hospital for diagnosis and treatment.

Recommended precations include destroying habitats where mosquitoes breed, ensuring a clean living environment, using mosquito repellents and wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants./.

VNF