Guangdong dengue cases surge, Guangzhou and Shenzhen add nearly 1,600 in a month

20th October 2024 – (Guangzhou) Dengue fever cases in Guangdong province are steadily increasing during the ongoing dengue fever season. Among these, the highest number of local cases are in the cities of Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Jiangmen, with a cumulative total of 1,121, 473, and 385 cases respectively over the past month. These three cities collectively account for over 30% of all cases in Guangdong province, with Guangzhou and Shenzhen alone totalling nearly 1,600 cases.

According to a report by “The Economic Observer,” on 18th October, the Health Commission of Shenzhen Municipality released the weekly dengue fever surveillance report from 7th to 13th October: the city reported 216 new cases, including 209 local cases and 7 imported cases, with no severe cases or deaths.

This marks the first time this year that Shenzhen has surpassed 200 local cases in a single week. Since September 16, both the total number of cases and local cases in Shenzhen have been increasing weekly, with a staggering 86.6% increase in local cases in the most recent monitoring week.

On 30th July, the Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention issued the first dengue fever risk alert of the year, which has now been issued for 11 consecutive weeks. The Health Commission of Shenzhen reminds that 23 communities in the city are at risk of dengue fever transmission and need to take preventive measures.

In the week from 7th to 13th October, Guangzhou reported 436 new local cases, bringing the total to 1,121 new cases in nearly a month, making it the first city in mainland China to surpass 1000 local cases for four consecutive weeks. Additionally, last week Guangzhou reported 3 severe cases of dengue fever, marking the first time in recent history that severe cases have been reported in the city.

During the last week (7th to 13th October), Guangdong province reported over 2000 new cases, reaching a total of 2,005 cases, with 4 new severe cases and no new deaths.

Dengue fever is an acute infectious disease caused by the dengue virus, primarily spread through the bite of Aedes mosquitoes. Symptoms include fever, rash, muscle and bone pain, and in severe cases, bleeding and even death. To date, there is no specific treatment for dengue fever, with most patients recovering on their own, while a small percentage may develop severe conditions such as dengue hemorrhagic fever or dengue shock syndrome.

As of now, two types of dengue quadrivalent attenuated vaccines are available overseas, but their effectiveness remains limited. China has not yet approved any dengue vaccines, with no varieties entering clinical trials; most are still in pre-clinical research stages. In 2019, the World Health Organization listed dengue fever as one of the “top ten global health threats.” China is also a country threatened by dengue fever outbreaks, with recent epidemics mainly triggered by imported cases leading to local transmission, primarily in southern regions such as Guangdong, Yunnan, and Zhejiang.

This year, the global situation regarding dengue fever is exceptionally severe, with the intensity of the outbreak significantly exceeding previous years. By the end of August, over 80 countries and regions had reported over 10 million cases and more than 6,000 related deaths, marking a threefold increase in cases compared to the same period in 2023. In August, Guangdong province reported 1,220 cases of dengue fever, nearly six times more than in July. Cities with high case numbers include Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Jiangmen, Zhongshan, Dongguan, and Qingyuan.

The Guangdong Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention emphasises that dengue fever prevention begins with controlling Aedes mosquitoes – no standing water means no mosquitoes, and no mosquitoes mean no dengue fever transmission. The Health Commission of Shenzhen Municipality also reminds residents to be vigilant against mosquito bites, prevent mosquito breeding, seek medical attention if experiencing symptoms like fever, and to be aware within 14 days after travelling, seeking immediate medical help if fever occurs, and informing doctors of travel history.