Local governments in central and southern Taiwan have stepped up mosquito control efforts, as a major dengue outbreak affects the nation’s south.
The Tainan Public Health Bureau on Thursday reported 12 locally transmitted dengue cases, bringing the total in the city to 311 so far this year.
The dengue virus is transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female mosquitoes, primarily the Aedes aegypti species.
Photo courtesy of the Tainan City Government
The city government would intensify mosquito control operations by inspecting common breeding sites, such as trash cans and old tires on construction sites, as well as vacant houses and land, the bureau said, adding that residents could be fined if larvae or breeding sites were found on their property.
Two new dengue cases were confirmed in Yunlin County on Thursday, raising the total number of cases in the county to 25 so far this year.
Yunlin health officials urged residents to check containers containing stagnant water near their homes, as well as containers that might have filled after afternoon thunderstorms, as standing rainwater creates ideal breeding conditions for mosquitoes.
The Yunlin County Government yesterday launched a 21-day dengue prevention campaign to urge the public to take collective action to reduce breeding sites for the insects.
The Kaohsiung City Government called on local residents to implement dengue prevention measures, such as inspecting possible breeding sites and spraying insecticide, to eliminate mosquitoes and avoid the spread of the disease.
Two suspected cases of dengue fever were reported in Taichung on Thursday, involving two children who recently traveled to Southeast Asia and Tainan.
They tested positive after dengue nonstructural protein 1 antigen tests were conducted.
Taichung health officials said that samples from the two children had been sent to central health authorities for confirmation tests.
Taichung has reported 13 dengue cases so far this year.
After Tainan on June 13 reported the first domestic dengue fever case this year, the number of cases in the nation quickly increased, reached 337 as of Thursday.
Taiwan recorded only 20 domestic cases for the whole of last year.
In 2015, Taiwan had one of its most severe dengue outbreaks, with more than 43,000 domestic cases, including 228 deaths.
A aegypti has been the main, if not the only, vector in the latest outbreak in Tainan, the city health bureau said.
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