After Heavy Rains, Kaohsiung Launches Anti-Dengue Fever Campaign in All 38 Districts

(CNA, Reporter Lin Chia-lien, Kaohsiung, July 2) Following recent heavy rains in Kaohsiung, which have caused water accumulation in many communities, the Kaohsiung City Government has fully elevated its dengue fever prevention alert. The Health Bureau stated that all 38 administrative districts in the city are conducting a comprehensive environmental sweep, with in-depth community and household inspections to eliminate breeding grounds for vector mosquitoes.

The Kaohsiung City Health Bureau issued a press release today, stating that yesterday, a "Mosquito Eradication Oath" mobilization event was held at the Environmental Park in Nanhe Village, Fengshan District. This brought together cross-departmental teams from health, environment, civil affairs, and economic development, along with community volunteers, to announce a synchronized environmental sweep across all 38 administrative districts. The campaign involves in-depth community and household inspections to comprehensively eliminate breeding grounds for vector mosquitoes and prevent the spread of dengue fever.

The Health Bureau pointed out that according to the latest epidemic data from Southeast Asia and Kaohsiung's monitoring data, the density of vector mosquitoes in communities has recently risen significantly, increasing the risk of dengue fever transmission. The Environmental Protection Bureau's monitoring using Gravitraps found that the positivity rate in the 25th week had reached 10%, and in the 26th week, the overall positive container rate was close to 12.5%, indicating active vector mosquito populations in the community and the urgent need for epidemic prevention.

The Health Bureau reminds the public that after heavy rains and typhoons, people should immediately check their homes and surroundings for standing water, including often overlooked areas such as rooftops, basements, and eaves gutters, to prevent water accumulation due to blocked drains. Additionally, tires placed in traffic cones, tarpaulins covering debris with depressions, and plant pot saucers are also common breeding hotspots for vector mosquitoes recently.

The Health Bureau noted that dengue fever outbreaks are currently escalating in many Southeast Asian countries. Besides Singapore, countries including Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, and Sri Lanka are experiencing higher dengue fever incidence compared to the same period last year. With the arrival of the summer travel peak season and increased passenger traffic, the risk of community transmission brought by imported cases is also rising.

The Health Bureau urges individuals who have visited dengue fever high-risk areas to seek medical attention and undergo rapid screening for suspected symptoms such as fever, headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle or joint pain, or rash within 14 days of returning to Taiwan. They should visit an integrated dengue fever medical contract facility promptly or proactively go to their district health center for testing.

Until August 31, eligible individuals participating in the "Defeat Imported Cases" dengue fever prevention reward program can receive a 500 NTD gift certificate. (Editor: Lung Po-an) 1150702

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