Victims of dengue: Thailand health officials say the number of people requiring treatment for dengue fever has already topped the 50,000 mark in the first eight months of 2018.
According to the Ministry of Health’s Bureau of Epidemiology, a total of 50,079 cases have been reported from the 77 provinces by August 27, of whom 65 died from complications related to the disease.
The areas where you are most likely to contract dengue include Phuket, Nakorn Pathom, Phichit, Maehongsorn and Krabi.
Dengue fever is an infectious disease carried by mosquitoes in mostly tropical regions around the world. Dengue used to be called “break-bone fever” because it often causes severe joint and muscle pain that patient’s describe feels like bones are breaking.
The Ministry of Health says there are three types of dengue fever which, in order of less severe to most, are: the typical uncomplicated dengue fever, dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHS) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS).
The World Health Organisation estimates there may be 50–100 million dengue infections worldwide every year.
However, new research from the University of Oxford and the Wellcome Trust suggests that the number is more likely to be 390 million dengue infections per year worldwide.
