Dengue danger: China’s Guangzhou on alert as infection surge sparks concerns

SINGAPORE: Health authorities in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou are sounding the alarm over a surge in domestic dengue fever cases, calling for residents to be alert and do their part in curbing the spread of the mosquito-borne disease.
Dengue cases jumped 73 per cent last week, compared to 252 cases reported the week before, said the Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention in an Oct 16 report. Of the 437 dengue cases recorded, 360 were local residents and the rest imported. 
Cases have been reported in all 11 districts of Guangzhou, which has a total population of more than 17 million. While no dengue-related deaths have been reported so far in the city, the disease can be fatal and lead to long-term health complications, as doctors and medical experts often note. 
In the wider Guangdong province, dengue numbers have been rising steadily over the past two months. Between Sep 30 and Oct 6, 1,770 cases were recorded – an increase of 500 compared to all of August, authorities said. 
The infection surge has sparked concern among Chinese netizens, some describing the city as the epicentre of the outbreak in Guangdong province.
“The numbers are growing in Guangzhou. It’s very concerning,” commented one user on the popular microblogging platform Weibo in response to a local news article.
“No deaths (yet) but dengue fever is no joke. The high fever can kill you and the pain you feel in your bones can be unbearable,” the person cautioned.
Another Weibo user noted that case numbers could rise even further in the coming weeks following persistent rainy weather.
“The situation could get worse after all the rain which attracts mosquito breeding,” the person said. “We should take care and take this seriously.” 
Dengue, also called “breakbone fever” due to the severe muscle and joint pains and high fever that occur during infection, has no known specific treatment.
The disease is a familiar foe in the region, particularly in South and Southeast Asia. Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia are among the nations which have unleashed a slew of efforts to tackle the problem.
But dengue is not endemic in China. Infections have been on the rise, particularly in southern provinces which experience a mix of extreme storms and hot weather as compared to northern cities like Beijing and Tianjin – giving the disease-transmitting Aedes mosquitos perfect conditions to thrive. 
In May, the city of Shanghai launched an anti-mosquito campaign after recording just 21 dengue cases since the start of the year. 
China has also stepped up measures to curb imported cases. A recently issued notice by customs authorities orders better cleaning of imported goods and containers, port areas and surveillance of travellers showing symptoms of dengue, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported.