Ho Chi Minh City has documented one more dengue fever fatality, raising the city’s death toll caused by the mosquito-borne disease this year to 13.

From the beginning of the year to July 21, the southern metropolis recorded 32,011 dengue fever patients, up 293.8 percent compared to the same period in 2021, the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control (HCDC) said on Tuesday.

Among the patients, 502 had severe symptoms.

The rate of severe cases to the total number of dengue fever infections during this period was 1.6 percent, an increase of more than 3.4 times year on year, the HCDC assessed.

From July 15 to 21, the city logged 3,108 dengue fever cases, a slight drop of three cases compared to the average of the previous four weeks.

One death was recorded in District 6 during this period, bringing the number of mortalities this year to 13.

About 209 new clusters were documented in 101 wards across 19 districts and Thu Duc City.

Authorities sprayed mosquito repellent chemicals at 450 outbreaks and helped local residents get rid of mosquito larvae.

Dengue fever is an infectious disease that is transmitted by the bite of an Aedes mosquito infected with a dengue virus, according to the World Health Organization.

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

The HCDC had also reported 10,316 cases of hand, foot, and mouth disease in Ho Chi Minh City as of July 21.

From July 15 to 21, the number of patients dropped 17.8 percent compared to the average of the preceding four weeks.

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