Although the rainy season is expected to be less humid than average, Thai authorities anticipate a relatively busy year in terms of dengue cases in 2023 – a viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes. The Department of Disease Control (DDC) in Thailand reported on Monday that the number of dengue infections since the start of this year totaled 19,503 cases, including 17 fatalities.
At the end of May, the Thai Ministry of Health warned that the number of dengue cases this year could reach its highest level in three years. The figures for the first six months of this year are comparable to those of 2019, when just over 20,000 dengue cases were reported in Thailand, including 25 deaths.
Throughout 2019, the Ministry of Health reported a total of 128,964 cases of dengue, including 133 deaths. The 2019 tally was the fourth-highest ever recorded by Thai health authorities.
The highest number of dengue cases recorded in a single year in the kingdom dates back to 1987, when the Ministry of Health reported 174,285 infections – including over 152,000 cases of severe dengue hemorrhagic fever – which caused 1,007 deaths.
In 2013, dengue affected 150,934 people, of whom 133 died. Two years later, in 2015, the kingdom recorded 141,375 cases, including 141 fatalities.
According to official data, the provinces most affected so far this year are Nan, Trat, Chumphon, Chanthaburi, and Tak. Authorities have classified ten provinces as high-risk areas for dengue transmission. These provinces are Tak, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, Bangkok, Chanthaburi, Trat, Phuket, Songkhla, Narathiwat, and Satun.
Dengue is a viral disease usually transmitted by the female Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is black with white stripes, bites during the day, and has adapted well to urban life.
When detected early, dengue can be treated quickly and is fatal in only 1% of cases. Prevention against mosquito bites includes avoiding stagnant waters conducive to the proliferation of larvae, and using repellents and mosquito nets.
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