China’s Guangzhou city sees Dengue fever cases rise by 73% in space of a week

The southern Chinese city of Guangzhou has seen a 73 per cent spike in Dengue fever cases in the space of a week.

Last week it recorded 437 cases, of which 360 were local and the rest imported. It also saw the first severe cases, three in total, in several months. The previous week saw 252 cases, according to the local centre for disease control and prevention.

The Guangdong provincial disease control authorities have been closely watching the rise in cases of the mosquito-borne disease over the past two months.

In August the province’s disease control centre called for a state of high alert in its monthly report on infectious diseases because of the global rise in cases this year.

Since then there has been a steady rise in cases across Guangdong, with more in a single week – 1,770 between September 30 and October 6 – than the whole month of August, which saw 1,220 cases.

No deaths have been reported in Guangdong this year though the disease can be fatal.