The Cook Islands secretary of health, Josephine Herman, said the country is holding and containing the latest outbreak of dengue.

Photo: lamyai/123RF

She saids to date there are 50 cases of type 1 dengue in the Cooks.

Of these, 22 people have had the virus confirmed after analysis in New Zealand, and the remaining 28 have been identified as likely to have dengue after clinical diagnosis, Dr Herman said.

She also said that while health authorities anticipate more victims, extensive efforts are being made to ensure the spread is minimised. </s> The Philippine government has declared the country’s outbreak of dengue to be a national epidemic, following the deaths of at least 622 patients since January.

The country’s health department announced late on Tuesday that Francisco Duque III, the health secretary, made the declaration to improve the response to the outbreak by allowing local governments to draw on a special Quick Response Fund.

It said the Philippines recorded 146,062 cases of dengue from January through July 20 this year, 98% more than the same period in 2018. That is roughly 5,036 cases every week.

Among the worst-hit areas are central Philippines as well as some regions in the northern island of Luzon and the southern island of Mindanao.

Duque said a campaign is being launched focusing on the destruction of mosquito breeding sites.

Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection found in tropical countries worldwide. It can cause joint pain, nausea, vomiting and a rash, and can cause breathing problems, haemorrhaging and organ failure in severe cases.

While there is no specific treatment for the illness, medical care to maintain a person’s fluid levels is seen as critical.

The department of health said that starting on Tuesday, it was conducting a campaign to focus on finding and destroying mosquito breeding sites, which is a primary means of containing dengue.

Other government agencies, local government units, schools, offices and communities will join in the effort, it said.

In 2017, the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte banned the dengue vaccine, Dengvaxia, after its French manufacturer reported that it could cause severe effects on patients not previously exposed to the virus.

Some critics have blamed the decision for the current outbreak, but Duque, the health secretary, said that the World Health Organization did not recommend the use of the vaccine as an outbreak response.

Other Southeast Asian countries have also reported an upsurge in dengue cases this year, according to the UN’s WHO.

The organisation said Malaysia had registered 62,421 cases through June 29, including 93 deaths, compared to 32,425 cases with 53 deaths for the same period last year.

Vietnam over the same period had 81,132 cases with four deaths reported, compared to 26,201 cases including six deaths in 2018.

In South Asia, Bangladesh has been facing its worst-ever dengue fever outbreak, putting a severe strain on the country’s already overwhelmed medical system.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android. </s> FILE – In this April 30, 2019 file photo, Philippine Health Secretary Dr. Francisco Duque III displays a graph showing the decline of the measles outbreak in the country during a press conference during World Immunization Week 2019 in Manila, Philippines. The Philippines’ Department of Health has declared the country’s massive outbreak of dengue to be a national epidemic on Tuesday Aug. 6, 2019. An announcement from the agency says Health Secretary Francisco Duque III made the declaration in order to improve responses to the outbreak by allowing local governments to draw on a special Quick Response Fund. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippines’ Department of Health on Tuesday declared the country’s outbreak of dengue to be a national epidemic.

The agency said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III made the declaration to improve the response to the outbreak by allowing local governments to draw on a special Quick Response Fund.

It said the Philippines recorded 146,062 cases of dengue from January through July 20 this year, 98% more than the same period in 2018. It said the outbreak caused 622 deaths.

Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection found in tropical countries worldwide. It can cause joint pain, nausea, vomiting and a rash, and can cause breathing problems, hemorrhaging and organ failure in severe cases. While there is no specific treatment for the illness, medical care to maintain a person’s fluid levels is seen as critical.

The Department of Health said that starting Tuesday, it was conducting a campaign to focus on finding and destroying mosquito breeding sites, which is a primary means of containing dengue. Other government agencies, local government units, schools, offices and communities will join in the effort, it said.

Other Southeast Asian countries have also reported an upsurge in dengue cases this year, according to the U.N.’s World Health Organization. The organization said Malaysia had registered 62,421 cases through June 29, including 93 deaths, compared to 32,425 cases with 53 deaths for the same period last year. Vietnam over the same period had 81,132 cases with four deaths reported, compared to 26,201 cases including six deaths in 2018.

In South Asia, Bangladesh has been facing its worst-ever dengue fever outbreak, putting a severe strain on the country’s already overwhelmed medical system. </s> (MANILA, Philippines) — The Philippines’ Department of Health on Tuesday declared the country’s outbreak of dengue to be a national epidemic.

The agency said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III made the declaration to improve the response to the outbreak by allowing local governments to draw on a special Quick Response Fund.

It said the Philippines recorded 146,062 cases of dengue from January through July 20 this year, 98% more than the same period in 2018. It said the outbreak caused 622 deaths.

Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection found in tropical countries worldwide. It can cause joint pain, nausea, vomiting and a rash, and can cause breathing problems, hemorrhaging and organ failure in severe cases. While there is no specific treatment for the illness, medical care to maintain a person’s fluid levels is seen as critical.

The Department of Health said that starting Tuesday, it was conducting a campaign to focus on finding and destroying mosquito breeding sites, which is a primary means of containing dengue. Other government agencies, local government units, schools, offices and communities will join in the effort, it said.

Other Southeast Asian countries have also reported an upsurge in dengue cases this year, according to the U.N.’s World Health Organization. The organization said Malaysia had registered 62,421 cases through June 29, including 93 deaths, compared to 32,425 cases with 53 deaths for the same period last year. Vietnam over the same period had 81,132 cases with four deaths reported, compared to 26,201 cases including six deaths in 2018.

In South Asia, Bangladesh has been facing its worst-ever dengue fever outbreak, putting a severe strain on the country’s already overwhelmed medical system. </s> According to the Thai Bureau of Epidemiology at the Department of Disease Control, there have already been more than 28 thousand cases and 53 death cases from the mosquito-borne Dengue virus. Last year, there were only 33 death cases. The Chiang Rai Times reports that medics have commented on the situation as “one of the most severe Dengue outbreaks in recent years.” The article also states that health officials have reported more than 40 thousand cases which is 1.6 times more than that of 2018.

Dr. Cheewanan Lertpiriyasuwat, the Vector-Borne Disease Bureau Director at the country’s Department of Disease Control (DDC) stated that the “current Dengue outbreak situation was worrisome.” She also underlined that the prevalence of Dengue Fever in Thailand has increased significantly from last year’s figure of 38.6 people per 100,000 of the population to about 61 people per 100,000. The Thaiger reported that the Public Health Ministry has signed an agreement with seven state agencies to control mosquito larvae during the annual wet-season which is when cases peak each year. It continues to report that the Defense Ministry, Tourism and Sports Ministry, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Interior Ministry, Culture Ministry, Education Ministry, and Bangkok Metropolitan Administration are going to co-ordinate improvements for the control of mosquito larvae.

If there are agreements signed by the different departments and ministries as stated above, it is an indication that the nation’s authorities are taking initiatives in battling the spreading diseases which cause severe threats and death to the people of Thailand. There are four closely related but antigenically different serotypes of the virus that can cause Dengue, and they are DEN 1, DEN 2, DEN 3, DEN 4. Since Dengue is a viral infection disease which is caused by the transmission of a bite by a mosquito, it is difficult to terminate the disease especially when mosquitoes are found in most places such as tall grasses and weeds near inhabited locations.

Mosquitoes breed in stagnant, standing freshwater and are oftentimes found around the home including inside tin cans, buckets, discarded tires, and other artificial containers. Insect sprays and insect incense are commonly used in Southeast Asian nations like Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos. According to Outbreak News Today, Dengue Fever is also classified into different types which provide different symptoms and levels of threat. Dengue Fever (DF) is marked by an onset of sudden high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, and pain in muscles and joints. Some may also have a rash and varying degrees of bleeding from various parts of the body. Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) is a more severe form, seen only in a small proportion of those infected. DHF is a stereotypic illness characterized by 3 phases; febrile phase with high continuous fever usually lasting for less than 7 days; critical phase (plasma leaking) lasting 1-2 days usually apparent when fever comes down, leading to shock if not detected and treated early; convalescence phase lasting 2-5 days with improvement of appetite, bradycardia, convalescent rash (white patches in red background), often accompanied by generalized itching (more intense in palms and soles), and diuresis (increase urine output). Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS) is a dangerous complication of Dengue infection and is associated with high mortality. Severe Dengue occurs as a result of secondary infection with a different virus serotype. Increased vascular permeability, together with myocardial dysfunction and dehydration, contribute to the development of shock, with results in multi-organ failure.

All in all, the outbreak of Dengue Fever has been spreading across Thailand and is extremely life-threatening to the population. The government is taking massive initiatives to encounter the issue in the hopes of preventing further escalation of the virus. </s> Manila: The Philippines' Department of Health has declared the country's outbreak of dengue to be a national epidemic.

The agency said Health Secretary Francisco Duque made the declaration to improve the response to the outbreak by allowing local governments to draw on a special Quick Response Fund.

It said the country recorded 146,062 cases of dengue from January through July 20 this year, 98 per cent more than the same period in 2018. It said the outbreak caused 622 deaths.

Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection found in tropical countries worldwide. It can cause joint pain, nausea, vomiting and a rash, and can cause breathing problems. A severe strain can cause haemorrhaging and organ failure. While there is no specific treatment for the illness, medical care to maintain a person's fluid levels is seen as critical. </s> DENGUE WARD: A ward at Eastern Samar Provincial Hospital in Borongan City is full of dengue patients and their families. The provincial board of Eastern Samar recently declared the province under a state of calamity due to the rising number of dengue cases. Image Credit: PHILIPPINE INFORMATION AGENCY

MANILA, Philippines — Dengue-related deaths have gone up to 622 from January to July this year in the Philippines, prompting the Department of Health (DOH) to declare a national dengue epidemic.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III cited 622 deaths and 146,062 cases recorded from January to July 20 this year, — a 98 per cent spike compared to the number of cases recorded in the same period last year.

Duque said the agency made the declaration to improve the response to the outbreak by allowing local governments to draw on a special "Quick Response Fund".

622 number of deaths from dengue in the Philippines from January to July 20, 2019

Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection found in tropical countries worldwide. It can cause joint pain, nausea, vomiting and a rash, and can cause breathing problems, hemorrhaging and organ failure in severe cases. While there is no specific treatment for the illness, medical care to maintain a person's fluid levels is seen as critical.

The Department of Health said that starting Tuesday, it was conducting a campaign to focus on finding and destroying mosquito breeding sites, which is a primary means of containing dengue.

Other government agencies, local government units, schools, offices and communities will join in the effort, it said.

Other Southeast Asian countries have also reported an surge in dengue cases this year, according to the U.N.'s World Health Organization.

Dengue Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection found in tropical countries worldwide. It can cause joint pain, nausea, vomiting and a rash, and can cause breathing problems, hemorrhaging and organ failure in severe cases.



While there is no specific treatment for the illness, medical care to maintain a person's fluid levels is seen as critical.

The organization said Malaysia had registered 62,421 cases through June 29, including 93 deaths, compared to 32,425 cases with 53 deaths for the same period last year.

93 number of dengue-related deaths from 62,421 cases in Malaysia, recorded from January to June this year

Vietnam over the same period had 81,132 cases with four deaths reported, compared to 26,201 cases including six deaths in 2018.

4 number of dengue-related deaths from 81,132 cases in Vietnam, recorded from January to June </s> Both Zika, which is of particular risk to pregnant women, and the dengue virus are spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is common in tropical Malaysia, Southeast Asia's third largest economy, and across the region.

Neighboring Singapore has reported more than 200 cases of Zika.

Three days ago, Malaysia reported its first Zika infection - a woman living near Kuala Lumpur who contracted the virus during a visit to Singapore.

On Saturday, Malaysian authorities said they had detected the first local infection: a 61-year-old man in the city of Kota Kinabalu, in the Malaysian part of Borneo island.

"The confirmation of the second case of Zika in Kota Kinabalu suggests that the virus is already present within our communities," Health Minister Subramaniam Sathasivam said.

"Zika is present in our country. New cases will continue to emerge," he posted on his Facebook page.

Zika infections in pregnant women have been shown to cause microcephaly - a severe birth defect in which the head and brain are undersized - as well as other brain abnormalities.

The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came to light last fall in Brazil, which has since confirmed more than 1,800 cases of microcephaly.

In adults, Zika infections have also been linked to a rare neurological syndrome known as Guillain-Barre, as well as other neurological disorders.

Since reporting its first Zika infection, Malaysia has increased insecticide spraying to kill mosquitoes. It has also stepped up health checks at its main border with Singapore, through which 200,000 people pass daily.

Malaysia, with a population of almost 30 million and a size 46 times bigger than Singapore, faces a much more challenging fight against Zika, doctors say.

"Zika will spread even faster in Malaysia than Singapore because our Aedes volume is so much higher and the breeding grounds are enormous," said Amar Singh, head of the paediatric department at Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun in the Malaysian town of Ipoh.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) ranks Malaysia's healthcare system as the world's 49th most developed. Singapore figures in the top 10.

There is no vaccine or treatment for Zika, which is a close cousin of dengue and chikungunya and causes mild fever, rash and red eyes. An estimated 80 percent of people infected have no symptoms, making it difficult for pregnant women to know whether they have been infected.

The WHO has declared the Zika outbreak an international health emergency, and if Malaysia's fight against dengue is any indication, it will struggle with Zika.

Malaysia recorded a total of 120,836 dengue cases last year, including 336 fatalities - the most since 1995, according to government data. This year, there have been 75,000 dengue cases and 166 fatalities.

Malaysian authorities say dengue is a bigger problem than Zika.

But regional health experts believe Zika is significantly under-reported in Southeast Asia as authorities fail to conduct adequate screening and also because of its usually mild symptoms.

The WHO lists Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam as countries with "possible endemic transmission or evidence of local mosquito-borne Zika infections in 2016".

The virus was first identified in Uganda in 1947 and was unknown in the Americas until 2014. </s> Malaysia expects more Zika cases as virus spreads in Southeast Asia

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 4 (Reuters) - Malaysia is bracing for more Zika cases, officials said on Sunday, after detecting the first locally infected patient, which could further stretch a health system struggling with dengue, another mosquito-borne virus that can be fatal.

Both Zika, which is of particular risk to pregnant women, and the dengue virus are spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is common in tropical Malaysia, Southeast Asia's third largest economy, and across the region.

Neighbouring Singapore has reported more than 200 cases of Zika.

Three days ago, Malaysia reported its first Zika infection - a woman living near Kuala Lumpur who contracted the virus during a visit to Singapore.

On Saturday, Malaysian authorities said they had detected the first local infection: a 61-year-old man in the city of Kota Kinabalu, in the Malaysian part of Borneo island.

"The confirmation of the second case of Zika in Kota Kinabalu suggests that the virus is already present within our communities," Health Minister Subramaniam Sathasivam said.

"Zika is present in our country. New cases will continue to emerge," he posted on his Facebook page.

Zika infections in pregnant women have been shown to cause microcephaly - a severe birth defect in which the head and brain are undersized - as well as other brain abnormalities.

The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came to light last fall in Brazil, which has since confirmed more than 1,800 cases of microcephaly.

In adults, Zika infections have also been linked to a rare neurological syndrome known as Guillain-Barre, as well as other neurological disorders.

Since reporting its first Zika infection, Malaysia has increased insecticide spraying to kill mosquitoes. It has also stepped up health checks at its main border with Singapore, through which 200,000 people pass daily.

Malaysia, with a population of almost 30 million and a size 46 times bigger than Singapore, faces a much more challenging fight against Zika, doctors say.

"Zika will spread even faster in Malaysia than Singapore because our Aedes volume is so much higher and the breeding grounds are enormous," said Amar Singh, head of the paediatric department at Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun in the Malaysian town of Ipoh.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) ranks Malaysia's healthcare system as the world's 49th most developed. Singapore figures in the top 10.

There is no vaccine or treatment for Zika, which is a close cousin of dengue and chikungunya and causes mild fever, rash and red eyes. An estimated 80 percent of people infected have no symptoms, making it difficult for pregnant women to know whether they have been infected.

The WHO has declared the Zika outbreak an international health emergency, and if Malaysia's fight against dengue is any indication, it will struggle with Zika.

Malaysia recorded a total of 120,836 dengue cases last year, including 336 fatalities - the most since 1995, according to government data. This year, there have been 75,000 dengue cases and 166 fatalities.

Malaysian authorities say dengue is a bigger problem than Zika.

But regional health experts believe Zika is significantly under-reported in Southeast Asia as authorities fail to conduct adequate screening and also because of its usually mild symptoms.

The WHO lists Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam as countries with "possible endemic transmission or evidence of local mosquito-borne Zika infections in 2016".

The virus was first identified in Uganda in 1947 and was unknown in the Americas until 2014. (Additional reporting by Joseph Sipalan; Editing by Miral Fahmy, Robert Birsel)
The Cook Islands secretary of health, Josephine Herman, says that the country is holding and containing the latest outbreak of Dengue, which has killed 22 people and infected another 28.