The health ministry has warned residents to take measures to prevent contracting dengue fever during the next two months.
Deputy head of the ministry's Preventive Medicine Department Dr Nguyen Van Binh warned people in the country's flood-hit central region to take extra precautions, including exterminating mosquitoes, maintaining a hygienic environment and covering water jars.

The ministry reported that there had been more than 78,000 dengue fever cases so far this year, including 59 deaths. Last year there were four reported deaths that were caused by the disease.

More than 21,600 cases have been documented in the country's central region, a year-on-year increase of 167.9 per cent.

An average of 400 dengue fever cases are reported each week in HCM City.

Director of HCM City Pasteur Institute Tran Ngoc Huu said the wet season has created favourable living conditions for mosquitoes to breed.

Nearly half of the city's 322 communes and wards have experienced dengue fever outbreaks during the past three months.

Dr Binh said all four virus types that cause the disease had been found in the country.

The doctor said that anyone could contract dengue fever and the disease could cause serious side effects, including internal bleeding, vomiting blood or brain haemorrhages and even death without prompt treatment.

An area is designated as a dengue fever epidemic zone if two residents contract the disease within 14 days and if mosquitoes are discovered carrying the dengue virus, according to the health ministry. — VNS