(philstar.com) Updated June 20, 2011
PHNOM PENH (Xinhua) – Cambodia launched a large-scale campaign here on Monday to mark the national day against dengue fever as the country's annual rainy season came.
The event was jointly launched by Minister of Health Mam Bunheng and Minister of Education Im Sithy, and participated by government officials, representatives of World Health Organization, relevant stakeholders and some 500 students.
Speaking during the launching, Mam Bunheng said that the celebration was to promote awareness among the public and to encourage them to join together to prevent dengue fever.
"Dengue is caused by mosquitoes, so to prevent the disease, I'd like to appeal to all parents, guardians and students to kill larvae by using the chemical substance known as Abate in water pots and other still water sources," he said. "Moreover, we have to fill in puddles around houses, which are sources of mosquitoes.”
The minister also encouraged people to sleep under mosquito nets and to raise "seven-colored" fish in their water pots to eat larva.
The outbreak of dengue fever usually begins at the onset of the rainy season from May to October in Cambodia.
The disease causes an acute illness of sudden onset that usually follows symptoms such as headache, fever, exhaustion, severe muscle and joint pain, swollen glands and rash.
At least 11 Cambodian children have died from the disease so far this year with other 1,924 infected, said Ngan Chantha, Director of Dengue Control at the Ministry of Health. It is "a sharp increase" from last year's 7 deaths with 1,395 infected cases.
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