Residents have been warned to guard against dengue fever on account of the heavy rainfall in recent weeks.
Dengue viruses are spread by mosquitoes, which breed in stagnant water. According to a statement from health officials, cited in Macau Post Daily, dengue has become a regional scourge, with cases in Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam soaring by more than 100 percent year on year.
The Health Bureau says Macao is now at a high risk of dengue infections and measures are being taken to eradicate mosquitoes at locations where they are likely to breed.
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The territory was hit by a serious outbreak of dengue fever in 2001, Macau Post Daily says. Between August and October that year, the city registered 1,148 cases, with 29 patients needing to be hospitalised.
The symptoms of dengue fever include high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pain, nausea, vomiting, swollen lymph nodes and rash – although some people may be asymptomatic and others present only mild symptoms such as fever and rash.
In its most severe cases, dengue fever is potentially fatal. More information is available here.
