PHNOM PENH, July 30 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia on Saturday reported 5,401 cases of dengue fever so far this year, 69 percent rise from 3,200 cases during the same period last year.
Among the cases, 29 Cambodian children had been killed, up from just 9 deaths during the same period last year, Ngan Chantha, director of dengue control at the Ministry of Health, said during a dengue fever prevention campaign on Saturday at the Olympic Stadium.
“There will be the possible large-scale outbreak of dengue fever this year if there is no concerted effort to prevent it,” he said, recalling that the large-scale outbreak in 2007 killed up to 316 children.
“We call for all parents, guardians and students to kill larvae by using the chemical substance known as Abate in water pots and other still water sources,” he said. “We have to fill in puddles around houses, which are sources of mosquitoes.”
“Parents should let their children sleep under mosquito nets,” he added.
Dengue is caused by mosquitoes. The disease causes an acute illness of sudden onset that usually follows symptoms such as headache, fever, exhaustion, severe muscle and joint pain, swollen glands and rash.
The outbreak of dengue fever usually begins at the onset of the rainy season from May to October in Cambodia.
Last year, the disease killed 37 Cambodian children.
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