BANGKOK, June 6 (Xinhua) -- About 500 dengue fever cases have been recorded in northeastern Thailand by Tuesday, Thailand's disease control department said on Wednesday.
The 488 dengue fever cases were confirmed in four northeastern provinces, including Nakhon Ratchasima, Surin, Chaiyaphum and Buri Ram from Jan.1 to June 5, according to reports.
Among them, Nakhon Ratchsima was the most active outbreak zone, with 233 cases diagnosed.
No deaths have been recorded so far. Adolescents aging 10 to 14 were found most prevalent with dengue infection, the Office of Disease Prevention and Control said.
Officials visited the some high risk zones of dengue fever. They found many open water containers that allow the breeding of mosquitos.
Dengue fever is an infectious tropical virus transmitted to humans by the bite of female mosquitoes, which breed in clean, warm water. In urban and semi-urban areas, gutters, old tyres, plastic containers, any items that have become water receptacles in close proximity to households make excellent hatcheries for dengue-carrying mosquito larvae.
More than 10,400 cases of dengue fever infection have been spotted in Thailand in the past five months with 15 deaths so far, reports said.
The country's disease control department suggests citizens to clean their homes, find proper disposal of waste and garbage and stow water receptacles away where mosquitoes can breed.
