Dengue fever has already killed 31 people in Laos this year out of some 7,920 people who have been infected with the potentially fatal virus.
The number of infected people occurred between January 1 and now, but Laos has still not reached the peak period for dengue infections, which is in September and October.
There are four serotypes of dengue virus, and Laos and its neighbouring countries are currently facing dengue serotype 3, the main cause of the outbreak through the region.
The risk of developing severe dengue fever, also known as dengue haemorrhagic fever is high. This fever can cause severe bleeding, shock (sudden drop in blood pressure) and death. At any one time, all four strains of the dengue virus can be active, although one is ….. Continue reading →

Minister of Health Professor Dr Eksavang Vongvichit is concerned about the overwhelming number of dengue patients currently being treated in the capital’s hospitals as the wet season sets in.
Dr Eksavang said that medical staff should lead the public in the fight against the virus by encouraging them to destroy breeding sources of mosquitoes in their community, instead of just informing them about the minister’s order in relation to dengue prevention.
So far this year, the infection rate for dengue fever has increased six fold, compared to the number of recorded cases in the same period last year….. Continue reading →