South China province reports 6,089 dengue cases

GUANGZHOU - A total of 6,089 dengue cases have been reported in South China's Guangdong province since May, local authorities said on Tuesday.

The provincial capital of Guangzhou was hit hardest by the virus, with 5,190 cases reported as of Monday, including two deaths, according to the provincial disease control and prevention center.

Foshan City, which neighbors Guangzhou, reported 622 cases. The remaining cases were reported in the cities of Zhongshan, Jiangmen and Zhuhai.

An increasing number of cases contracted abroad and rainy days this year contributed to the dengue outbreak, said Yang Zhicong, deputy director of the Guangzhou municipal disease control and prevention center.

The public's indifference to mosquito eradication has also prompted the outbreak, he said.

Figures from the center show that due to high temperatures and rainy weather in Guangdong, the mosquito population is five times the normal level.

The center has ordered all people to stay alert ahead of the National Day holiday that begins on Oct. 1.

Dengue fever, a viral infection transmitted by mosquitoes, mostly hits tropical and sub-tropical regions. The symptoms include high fever, nausea, rashes, backache and headaches. The hemorrhagic variant, which causes severe internal bleeding as blood vessels collapse, is often fatal.