The number of malaria, dengue fever and chikungunya cases are expected rise by 3-4 times this year, when compared to 2022, around Thailand.
Dr. Tares Krassanairawiwong, from Thailand’s Disease Control Department, says there were 10,174 cases in 2022, three times the number of total cases in 2021 and 45,145 dengue fever cases, an increase of 4.5 times the figure in the same year.
31 people died of dengue fever and two from malaria last year across Thailand.
Most of the malaria cases were found in Tak, Mae Hong Son and Kanchanaburi provinces, and 1,370 cases of chikungunya were found, although there were no fatalities. Again the number of chikungunya cases doubled from a year ago.
Malaria is spread through the bite of the Anopheles mosquito. Dengue and chikungunya are transmitted through the Aedes mosquito bite. Another difference between dengue, chikungunya, and malaria fever is that the first two diseases are caused by viruses, while the latter is caused by a parasite.
HERE are some tips to avoid getting bitten by a mosquito.
The two most effective ways of mitigating these diseases is to avoid being bitten in the first place and the control of areas of pooled water where mosquitoes breed. There’s probably some of these in your own backyard.
Thailand’s Division of Vector-Borne Diseases says that fumigation to eliminate mosquitos and mosquito larvae at home and in communities, with ultra-low volume chemicals, called “fogging” has proven effective at killing about 90% of mosquitos in trials in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phichit, Nakhon Pathom, Udon Thani, Phang-nga and Songkhla.
