For more than a month now, the dengue fever situation in Dak Lak has been on the rise, with the number of cases being recorded continuously every day.
This is a significant increase compared to the same period last year, posing a potential risk of an outbreak if timely and coordinated response measures are not taken by all levels of government, relevant agencies, and the public.
According to the Dak Lak Provincial Center for Disease Control, from the beginning of 2025 to the present, the province has recorded 1,316 cases of dengue fever, an increase of more than 30% compared to the same period last year.
Some localities have high numbers of cases, such as Cu M'gar area with 213 cases (an 1.8-fold increase), Buon Ma Thuot with 161 cases, Tuy An with 96 cases… Particularly, from the beginning of June until now, the number of cases has increased dramatically, with peak days recording 20-25 cases.
At Buon Ma Thuot General Hospital (Buon Ma Thuot ward), the number of dengue fever cases admitted has increased significantly. According to Dr. Tran Thanh Quy, Deputy Head of the Intensive Care Unit, the hospital is currently treating approximately 26 dengue fever cases in the Internal Medicine-Infectious Diseases and Pediatrics Departments, with the Intensive Care Unit currently receiving two cases showing severe warning signs.
"Dengue fever occurs almost year-round, but it has been on the rise since June. Cases showing warning signs or dengue shock will be transferred to the Intensive Care Unit for monitoring and timely treatment," Dr. Quy said.
Dengue fever symptoms typically develop in two stages. During the first three days, patients experience continuous high fever, headache, and fatigue, which can be easily mistaken for a viral fever. From the fourth day onwards, although the fever may subside, patients may develop severe symptoms such as spontaneous bleeding, shock, elevated liver enzymes, and a rapid decrease in platelet count.
Approximately one-third of hospitalized cases are at risk of progressing to a severe alert, depending on the type of Dengue virus, the monitoring and care provided by family members, and the medical team.
The case of patient Y'Hon Hra (13 years old, from Ea Nuôl commune, Dak Lak province) is a typical example. After 2 days of treatment at the Pediatric Department of Buon Ma Thuot General Hospital, on the 4th day, the patient developed warning symptoms of dengue fever such as high fever, severe abdominal pain, vomiting, lethargy, liver enzymes exceeding 1,000, and rapidly decreasing platelet count.
After consultation with the doctors, the patient was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit for close monitoring. After 4 days of intensive treatment, the patient's condition improved and their health stabilized.
Ms. H'Djue Hra (the patient's mother) said that many people in the area near her home have dengue fever, and currently three people are being treated at the hospital.
"There are many neighbor's cow sheds around my house, and there are a lot of mosquitoes. Now I will try to clean up thoroughly to prevent disease for the whole family," H'Djue Hra informed.
The increase in dengue fever cases in Dak Lak has been attributed to the onset of the rainy season – a favorable condition for the development and spread of the Dengue virus by Aedes mosquitoes. This year also falls within the three-year peak of the epidemic cycle (2019-2022-2025).
Mr. Hoang Hai Phuc, Director of the Dak Lak Provincial Center for Disease Control, assessed that the risk of an outbreak is very high if the local health sector does not simultaneously implement various measures.
In addition, people's awareness of disease prevention is still lacking. In many places, people leave the prevention and control work entirely to the health sector, and do not properly implement environmental hygiene and eliminate mosquito breeding grounds.
The provincial health sector is implementing a comprehensive range of solutions to prevent and control dengue fever. The Department of Health issued a directive and developed a plan to respond to outbreaks at regional health centers and commune/ward health stations right from the beginning of the rainy season; at the same time, it organized investigations, surveillance, communication, and timely outbreak handling.
The Provincial Center for Disease Control has advised on the development of a comprehensive plan, proactively spraying chemicals at key outbreak sites, and ensuring the adequate supply of materials, chemicals, and medicines when an outbreak occurs.
Following the merger, the regional health centers and commune/ward health stations under the Department of Health are maintaining regular operations, ensuring the full implementation of professional activities, especially disease prevention and control, Mr. Phuc informed.
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/dak-lak-benh-sot-xuat-huyet-gia-tang-manh-nguy-co-bung-phat-dien-rong-post1048727.vnp
Comment (0)