A total of 181 people died of dengue fever in Myanmar's Yangon region alone in the past five years out of 19,000 such cases occurring in the region during the half decade, the local Flower News reported Sunday. The five-year period ran from 2005 to 2009, Xinhua quoted the statistical report as saying. However, according to the Yangon City Development Committee, the city saw less dengue fever occurrence in the first quarter of 2010 correspondingly. According to earlier report, the number of people infected with dengue fever in the whole country in 2009 amounted to 3,129 with 37 deaths registered. Meanwhile, the Myanmar health authorities is stepping up preventive measures against dengue fever in this sensitive rainy season by extending injection to people free of charge. According to local report, the preventive measure is being taken with seven wards in Yangon's Hlaingtharya township where the disease occurs most. The authorities are introducing abate medicine with better effect, combating larvae, giving education talks on the prevention and control especially in markets. Dengue fever mostly infects under-15 children, especially those between three and nine years of age, but now such disease has been found even among some adult people, the authorities said, warning that dengue fever occurs regardless of age and season.
