Cases of dengue fever in Jeddah recently dropped with the city registering between three to five suspected cases, a local newspaper reported.
The drop in the number of cases came following the many measures taken against the mosquito that causes the infection, and strengthening the cooperation between the Ministry of Health, Jeddah Secretariat, the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Water Company.
Khalid Bawaked, assistant director of the Jeddah health department, attributed the decline in the number of cases to the cooperation between these four bodies and the measures taken during Haj season, including the continuous spraying of insecticides on pools of stagnant water and intensifying the traps for insects at airports and ports, and the ongoing water supply in neighborhoods so that families are not obliged to randomly store water which attracts mosquitoes.
Huda Fattani, head of the hemorrhagic fever department at the Jeddah health department, said the number of new cases infected with dengue during the past for month has been stable.
“The number of reported suspected cases stood between three and five. When mosquito season was active the reports used to stand at 50 to 70,” said Fattani.
Nonetheless, she added, some medical sectors still do not report suspected dengue cases.
“In light of this issue, seven health sectors were warned, including health and medical centers, and hospitals. They neglected to report the suspected cases,” she added.
She said that the Jeddah health department sent circulars to all health sectors to immediately report any suspected case of dengue fever. The health department activated health awareness programs in the neighborhoods, houses, mosques and schools, in addition to the continuous coordination with the secretariat in reporting the hotbeds of mosquitoes.
The department said all efforts are ongoing to combat dengue fever. Such efforts concentrate on epidemiological investigation to determine the patient’s movements during the two weeks before the infection to locate the source, exploration for insects around the house within a radius of 200 meters, and finally treatment of the infected person along with the early detection of the virus among family members.
The Jeddah health department emphasized the early detection of dengue cases, and called on citizens to fight the mosquitoes inside houses or around the workplace, and to educate children on how to protect themselves against mosquitoes.
