The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health has asked local hospitals to shore up their capacities to treat dengue fever as cases are expected to surge in the southern metropolis.

The city had recorded over 4,500 dengue fever patients from January to mid-April, 109 of whom were in a serious condition, the municipal Department of Health confirmed on Wednesday.

The number of cases is expected to continue rising given that it is only the beginning of the annual dengue fever season.  

The health department has requested the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Children’s Hospital 1, Children’s Hospital 2, and Ho Chi Minh City Children's Hospital to hold training courses aimed at boosting their capacities for the diagnosis and treatment of dengue fever. 

These hospitals were also asked to offer similar training to staff at lower-level medical centers.

The health sector will continue monitoring the dengue situation in the city in order to take prompt actions should the outbreak continue to worsen.  

Statistics released by the Ministry of Health show that Vietnam has reported more than 14,700 cases of dengue fever since the beginning of this year.

Six deaths have been documented in Binh Duong, Dong Thap, Tay Ninh, and Dong Nai Provinces.

Though the overall number of patients recorded has decreased slightly compared to this time last year, the number of fatalities has increased by one.

Dengue fever is an infectious disease transmitted through bites from Aedes mosquitoes that have been infected with a dengue virus.

Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pains, and a characteristic skin rash that is similar to measles.

Doctors consider dengue fever quite dangerous, and there is currently no vaccine to fight the illness.

Everyone has been advised to take measures to protect themselves from mosquitoes and seek prompt treatment if they show symptoms.

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