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[george]

Thailand 'War room' to counter soaring dengue outbreak

The aedes aegypti mosquito is the transmission agent for
Dengue Fever. It bites humans between an hour or so after
dawn until about an hour after sunset.


BANGKOK: -- The Public Health Ministry has set up a national war room to control the spread of dengue fever across the country after learning the situation will be far worse than last year.

So far, 1,675 people have fallen victim to the fever this year, said the Minister, Witthaya Kaewparadai.

The ministry's deputy permanent secretary, Dr Paijit Warachit will chair the war room - teaming up with agencies including the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's Health Department, the World Health Organisation, and a joint activity of the Ministry of Public Health of Thailand and the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention, to monitor the spread of disease within Thailand and neighbouring countries.

They will meet at least once a week to keep a close watch on any possible outbreak.

Wittaya added he has assigned all provincial public health offices, local administration organisations and health volunteers to strictly control and monitor the transmission of dengue fever in local areas.

Local authorities have been advised to spray insecticide to eradicate the adult aedes aegypti mosquito, which bites humans in the daytime.

Residents should drain off any stagnant water to prevent mosquitoes from breeding and use abates sand, a pesticide, to destroy their larvae.

Citing Bureau of Epidemiology records, Paijit said in January this year, 1675 people had been infected with dengue fever and two had died. The figure for the same period last year was 1,553 dengue fever cases reported and two lives lost.

The Central region was the hardest hit with 886 patients, the Southern region suffered the second worst outbreak with 546 patients and Bangkok, 303. Songkhla, Pattani, and Yala were the worst affected provinces. Nearly half the patients this year were over 15 years old.

Last year saw a total of 91,003 patients, with 65,581 cases in 2007.

In a bid for early detection of dengue fever infection, Wittaya said he has asked the Department of Medical Services to study a test kit to screen patients.

This month the Department of Disease Control will organise meetings to brainstorm on prevention and control planning in 30 high risk areas nation-wide.

Wittaya has asked the public to keep a close watch on people in their households and nurseries. If anyone develops a high fever over a two-day period, they should be taken to a doctor.

-- The Nation 2009-02-09

[animatic]

One of my friend's restaurant staff got it this year here on Samui.
She hadn't left the island in some time, it came here.
So this is not to far off from most any of us.

Edited by animatic, 2009-02-09 07:29:08.

[Miserere]

I believe a War On Mosquitos should be announced to prevent Thailand becoming a Mosquito Hub, any mosquitos or people caught associating with mosquitos should be shot.

[khundon]

A Thai war room eh. Thats the problem solved then.

Read it in the Nation tomorrow.

[TJAN]

Miserere, on 2009-02-09 07:36:43, said:

I believe a War On Mosquitos should be announced to prevent Thailand becoming a Mosquito Hub, any mosquitos or people caught associating with mosquitos should be shot.

That really make sense,very smart remark.

[stumonster]

so how do they educate the public on mosquito control ?

television advertisements ?
radio advertisements ?
pamphlets ?

or a truck driving around spraying atomised diesel ?

I have only ever encountered one of the above.

[noahvail]

stumonster, on 2009-02-09 10:04:18, said:

so how do they educate the public on mosquito control ?

television advertisements ?
radio advertisements ?
pamphlets ?

or a truck driving around spraying atomised diesel ?

I have only ever encountered one of the above.

In many of the cities in Florida, where the mosquito is the State Bird, "malathion" is dispensed as a fog every night. For many years, the mozzies are no longer pests in the cities. Don't know the effect on flora and fauna, but I wonder if it'd be worth a shot here.

[Toany]

noahvail, on 2009-02-09 09:11:39, said:

In many of the cities in Florida, where the mosquito is the State Bird, "malathion" is dispensed as a fog every night. For many years, the mozzies are no longer pests in the cities. Don't know the effect on flora and fauna, but I wonder if it'd be worth a shot here.

What about the effect on Humans??? What are the side affects know or unknown

Or does that explain why people from there are ...........

[PoorSucker]

animatic, on 2009-02-09 07:24:43, said:

One of my friend's restaurant staff got it this year here on Samui.
She hadn't left the island in some time, it came here.
So this is not to far off from most any of us.

Had two friends that got it last year here on Samui.

[Fore Man]

Malathion is very similar in effects as highly lethal nerve agents formulated by the military. I used to be a crop duster in Florida many years ago. We sprayed malathion to control infestation in the citrus orchards there. Malathion is so potent that pilots typically taped three atropine syrettes to the panel in case of a crash or accidental tank rupture. This the same injectable drug used by the military services to neutralize the effects of nerve agents deployed by an enemy in wartime. As an agricultural pilot--and later as a soldier--I was taught to remove the protective cap and then press it into my thigh muscle to quickly infuse the atropine into our system. We even had glucose-loaded versions for pilot practice. The very early versions of these devices were simple squeeze bulbs connected to a hypodermic needle.

Malathion and a related chemical, methyl-parathion are indeed insidious pesticides and need to be taken seriously if used in local mosquito eradication programs. I pulled the following data off the web today: "If you are exposed to these toxic pesticides, you may have headache, nausea, dizziness, anxiety, chest tightness, blurred vision, and restlessness. Symptoms that might mean an exposed person's condition is getting worse include muscle twitching, weakness, tremor, lack of coordination, excess sweating, abdominal cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea. Severe exposure can lead to convulsions, unconsciousness, cardiac arrest, and death. People who are exposed to significant amounts over time may have a persistent lack of appetite, weakness, and malaise. Swallowing, inhaling, and having skin contact with [such chemicals] are all ways in which people can be exposed. Children, the elderly, and people with certain health problems are especially at risk".

If you routinely have your yard sprayed by a bug service, it would be a very good idea to stay indoors and close the windows for several hours during and after the application is completed...or simply lock up and depart the area and go shopping. Malathion and similar agents are bad stuff. Bug sprays purchased at the supermarket typically contain methyl-parathion or a similar class active ingredient. Many of Vietnam-era GIs took in too much of the stuff while trying to control the cockroaches in our 'hooches'. Be careful when applying these sprays indoors, especially in the vicinity of kids and pets.

Edited by Fore Man, 2009-02-09 11:09:48.

[petedavis]

PoorSucker, on 2009-02-09 10:59:47, said:

animatic, on 2009-02-09 07:24:43, said:

One of my friend's restaurant staff got it this year here on Samui.
She hadn't left the island in some time, it came here.
So this is not to far off from most any of us.

Had two friends that got it last year here on Samui.

[TJAN]

Toany, on 2009-02-09 09:34:40, said:

noahvail, on 2009-02-09 09:11:39, said:

In many of the cities in Florida, where the mosquito is the State Bird, "malathion" is dispensed as a fog every night. For many years, the mozzies are no longer pests in the cities. Don't know the effect on flora and fauna, but I wonder if it'd be worth a shot here.

What about the effect on Humans??? What are the side affects know or unknown

Or does that explain why people from there are ...........

In vietnam they used Orange agent but I think that was used for something else

[h90]

Miserere, on 2009-02-09 07:36:43, said:

I believe a War On Mosquitos should be announced to prevent Thailand becoming a Mosquito Hub, any mosquitos or people caught associating with mosquitos should be shot.

Better war against Mosquitos, than war against drugs.....
on the other side it is very difficult to shoot Mosquitos so possible that a lot bystander get shoot as well.

[Seneque]

Do like Singapore does ... It is forbidden by law to breed mosquitoes !

[haybilly]

PoorSucker, on 2009-02-09 10:59:47, said:

animatic, on 2009-02-09 07:24:43, said:

One of my friend's restaurant staff got it this year here on Samui.
She hadn't left the island in some time, it came here.
So this is not to far off from most any of us.

Had two friends that got it last year here on Samui.

2 neighbours and the mother of a school friend of my daughter's have all fallen victim within the last 2 months--all are residents of Hang Dong, Chiang Mai--rumour was that 'they' were going to come and blitz spray all moo bahns in the area but nothing happened [ not sure who 'they' were??]
During my 3 years living in a moo bahn in Kamphaeng Phet it was quite common for local authority workmen to turn up in the late afternoon with backpacks and motorized sprayer systems and blast some unpleasant white smoke down all the drain openings all round the sois,--not sure what it did to the mossies but the cockroaches did all they could to escape, running in all directions only to die outside my front door!
The workmen would also drop off packets of some powder that all housholds were advised to tip into any standing water on/near their properties.

[dumball]

I watched a show , I think on National Geographic , about mosquitoes and thier prevelance in the Everglades , it also included leaches and ticks . It appears they have discovered a 'Super Skeeter ' that is about twice the size of the usual bzzzzzz in your ear ones we normally are accustomed to , they do not suck on humans , they eat all of the other types around . Some enlightened person should suggest the Thai powers that be , purchase several trillion of these and spread them around the provinces .

[animatic]

petedavis, on 2009-02-09 11:31:56, said:

PoorSucker, on 2009-02-09 10:59:47, said:

animatic, on 2009-02-09 07:24:43, said:

One of my friend's restaurant staff got it this year here on Samui.
She hadn't left the island in some time, it came here.
So this is not to far off from most any of us.

Had two friends that got it last year here on Samui.

Well some good news.
I just saw Ing On and she is doing fine now.
Glad they can catch the symptoms earlier enough now.
She even cooked my dinner tonight.

[chiang mai]

Make a joke about it and be dismissive of it but don't catch it, it's easily lethal and in the event it is not, it will make you very very sick - much more scary than Malaria, trust me.

[Yoyo777]

One of my staff just came out of the hospital - she stayed there for over 2 weeks because of the disease! she reckons that it was one of the mosquitos in our office (!)! I mean, we are in Bangkok - I am so scared

[venturalaw]

A friend of mine came down with it last September - he was at the Taipei Gate area of Chiang Mai when he was bitten.

[venturalaw]

I was not aware there was treatment. What is it?

[MHM]

My husband & I caught it in Septemeber. The only treatment is water & paracetemol.. We were sick, very sick, for weeks. Be careful, this is no joke.
It happens to everyone

[orang37]

I've had dengue here in Chiang Mai about ten years ago; the onset of the disease (four to six days after the infecting bite) for me, as is the case for many other people, was incredibly dramatic : I went from feeling fine to feeling deathly ill in the space of thirty minutes.

In late 2008 Chiang Mai media were reporting the dengue fever rate in northern Thailand as ten times "normal" :

Rates of Dengue in northern Thailand and Chiang Mai


Once you have it, the incubation period for its full spread throughout your body is about seven days : the good news is that if your red blood cell count stays high enough through the seventh day you will survive; the bad news is that if your red-blood cell count gets low enough you are in mortal danger of "dengue hemorraghic fever": of things like your blood being so thin it can perfuse into your luings, your eyes, etc., and you will certainly require hospitalization and transfusions if that is the case.

Dengue is carried by the older females of species Aedes Egyptus, a fact some Australian researchers are now trying to exploit via developing a virus that attacks same :

Australian Dengue Research develops virus to attack carriers

There are several strains of Dengue, and getting one and surviving that one does NOT give you cross-immunity to the other strains.

A friend living here in Chiang Mai contracted dengue on a trip to Buriram last year; following his return here he was interviewed by a local governmental organization dedicated to dengue control, and he tells me that actions were taken in the area of Buriram he visiited to spray for dengue control.

I grew up in the northern part of the state of Florida in the US, by the way, and remember as a boy (in the 1950's) chasing with other kids after what we called the "smogger," which came around spraying clouds of whatever about twice a week in the summer (wet season) : undoubtedly breathing in large quantities of whatever they were spraying helped make me the mutant I am today

At that time Florida did not have Dengue : I read that last year 18 people in Florida had it. But there is no doubt that Dengue is the fastest spreading arbovirus (mosquito-carried) virus in the world.

~o:37;

Edited by orang37, 2009-02-09 22:05:47.

[dseawarrior]

PoorSucker, on 2009-02-09 10:59:47, said:

animatic, on 2009-02-09 07:24:43, said:

One of my friend's restaurant staff got it this year here on Samui.
She hadn't left the island in some time, it came here.
So this is not to far off from most any of us.

Had two friends that got it last year here on Samui.

I had two friends get it on Koh Pha Ngan (North of Samui) back in 2002 -- nasty stuff -- they both had to be hospitalized...

Dengue fever is endemic in tropical and subtropical areas... Worldwide.

Public education on mosquito control,

Use repellent and mosquito nets with fans...

City cleanups -- this virus/ mosquito combo thrives in crowded conditions...

But what else to do...?

Dengue has been here for millions of years and is likely to stay...

[alanmorison]

Miserere, on 2009-02-09 07:36:43, said:

I believe a War On Mosquitos should be announced to prevent Thailand becoming a Mosquito Hub, any mosquitos or people caught associating with mosquitos should be shot.

Hmmm . . . I seem to remember a very sane and sensible world conference on dengue held on Phuket last year. Lots of experts came from everywhere. They didn't suggest we should be alarmed, just act sensibily. Could The Nation and its cohorts be overdosing on something? Perhaps the army has intervened yet again? Put the mosquitoes on boats, shove them offshore . . . no problem.