Dengue fever in Taiwan jumps to almost 6,000 cases

[theLebanon]

Dengue fever in Taiwan jumps to almost 6,000 cases

2015/09/07 10:32:04

In an effort to stop mosquitoes from breeding, a worker sprays pesticide in a park in Kaohsiung in August. (CNA file photo)

Taipei, Sept. 7 (CNA) The number of dengue fever cases reported in Taiwan since the start of summer this year has continued to climb, with the total likely to exceed 6,000 by Tuesday, Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said Monday.

The latest data showed that the number of cases diagnosed since May 1 had reached 5,948 as of Sunday, an increase of 406 from the day before.

Among the new cases, 363 were in Tainan, by far the worst hit area in the country, with 5,247 reported infections since the start of May, the CDC said.

In the neighboring city of Kaohsiung, 609 cases have been reported, the CDC said.

More than two dozen people in Taiwan may have died of the disease this year but that number has not yet been confirmed according to standard procedures.

Since Taiwan started keeping systematic track of dengue fever in 2003, the highest number of cases recorded in a year was 15,942 in 2014.

Dengue fever is an infectious tropical disease spread by mosquitoes. The symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, and skin rash. In a small proportion of cases, the disease can develop into hemorrhagic dengue fever, which can be fatal.

(By Lung Pei-ning and Jay Chen)