The Health Bureau reported Macao’s 32nd imported case of dengue fever yesterday, involving a 66-year-old local man who lives in the second building of Victor Garden on Rua Direita do Hipódromo.
Records indicate the patient stayed in Jiangmen between 7 and 16 November and began experiencing a fever, as well as muscular aches.
Upon the man’s return to Macao, he sought medical attention at the emergency ward of the Conde de Sāo Januário Hospital and was diagnosed with type 1 dengue fever on 18 November. The individual is in a stable condition, with none of his family members exhibiting any signs of illness.
His case comes only days after the 31st case, which was announced on 15 November.
[See more: Dengue outbreak spikes in Cabo Verde]
The bureau noted that Macao is still currently in mosquito season. As such, residents are still at risk of catching the virus, which is spread through the bite of infected Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. Symptoms for the disease can vary, with headaches, nausea and fever being typical. In some cases, a carrier may be asymptomatic. In rare cases, dengue can be fatal.
In recent weeks, Macao has seen a gradual increase in the number of both local and imported dengue fever cases. On 23 October, the city registered its first local transmission of the disease, which was followed by an outbreak on Rua do Tarrafeiro.
The authorities are advising residents to adopt anti-mosquito measures such as draining stagnant water from drains and plantpots, using mosquito screens and applying mosquito repellent.
Macao’s neighbours have also seen a significant increase in their dengue fever cases. Hong Kong registered 12 imported cases of the virus between 8 and 14 November, while Guangdong Province logged 1,241 local cases from 4 to 10 November.
