Jaloon Htaw
More people have gotten sick by Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and have been admitted to Moulamine hospital and other clinics around Mon state, than in previous years health care providers are reporting.
While in previous cases mostly babies and young children have been infected, this year youth and young adults are now also being hospitalized with more regularity, especially in Moulamine, Mudon and Thanphyuzayart townships in Mon State.
“These occurrences are not the same as [in the] last years. I already diagnosed about 3000 of the sick people with Dengue hemorrhagic fever [this year] already,” explained Dr. Min So Lin. “If I check 10 people, the disease has infected at least 8 people. Baby [infections] occur every year but this years its not only babies but also the adults. From 1 year old babies to the age 38 year old adults are this [type] of dengue. Now at Moulamine hospital most of the patients are sick by the disease of Dengue hemorrhagic fever. I have [had] my clinic open almost 20 year but I have never seen like that.”
Doctors have said that a government controlled newspaper has been incorrectly reporting that DHF can only infect children between the ages of 3 to 12 years.
“[There are] not enough beds for the sick persons. Some are sleeping on mats on the ground. Most [patients] are babies, and some [of] the sick people [who], after arriving, in 2 days die,” said an eyewitness patient who is waiting for treatment for DHF in Abit village, Mudon Township.
A Nurse from Mudon Township told IMNA that she believes there are more cases of DHF occurring this year than last year.
“Everywhere [these DHF cases] are occurring. When I travel through the civilian health department, I see babies get sick and the adults as well.”
A resident of Thanphyuzayart town confirmed to IMNA that the illness was spreading amongst the civilian population, “Most of [the babies that are sick] are getting sick with dengue hemorrhagic fever. Also the baby near my home [has] gotten sick and has now [been] sent to the hospital.”
According to Dr’ Min So Lin from Moulamine, this disease in particular is spread by the mosquitoes, specifically Aedes Aegypti and Aedes Albopictus, that tend to feed during the day time, and often carry dengue hemorrhagic fever. The disease season tends to occur from January till July.
