Since this summer, a total of 11,006 dengue cases in Tainan have been recorded and it is increasing every day. An average of 510 cases accross China were daily reported last week. Within this week, 3,550 new cases of the fever were reported, multiplying 1.6 times more than the previous week, according to the China Post.
What is dengue fever?
Dengue fever is an acute viral disease caused by any one of four closely related dengue viruses. The incubation period is 3-8 days (range, 3-14 days). Symptoms include high fever, headache, eye pain (behind the eyes), muscle and/or joint pain and rash. Generally, younger children have a milder illness than older children and adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control site.
How do people get dengue fever?
Dengue fever is spread through the bite of the Aedes mosquito and feels like a flu. The fever occurs in many tropical countries and has symptoms such as exhaustion, headache, fever, muscle pain, and swollen lymph nodes, according to Bupa International.
In September of 2014, 21,000 people were infected by dengue fever in China, making it the country's worst outbreak in two decades. The outbreak attributed to the exceptionally hot weather, as reported in a previous HNGN article.
Although this year's dengue fever cases were lower than last year's - which were at 15,732 in Tainan and Kaohsiung - the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) still tracks the cases with their National Infectious Disease Statistics System to formulate dengue control and prevention strategies for the citizens of China. "The cumulative total of 18 deaths were found to be linked with dengue infection. Thirty-six deaths, including 33 from Tainan City, 2 from Kaohsiung City, and 1 from Pingtung County, are still waiting to be reviewed," according to the Outbreak News Today.
Up to this day, there is no specific treatment for dengue infection. For those who think that they have dengue fever, they will be advised to rest, to take analgesics with acetaminophen, to drink plenty of fluids and to consult a doctor.
