Thailand observes ASEAN Dengue Day

BANGKOK, June 15 (TNA) - Thailand organized activities today to observe the ASEAN Dengue Day, the annually regional advocacy campaign day for dengue prevention and control falling on every June 15. Along with other nationwide activities, Thai Public Health Minister Wittaya Buranasiri presided over a ceremony in the central Ayutthaya Province to launch a campaign on eliminating common house mosquitos, the carrier of the deadly disease, at a local vocational promotion center. Wittaya said Thailand and other member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have joined hands to campaign for all sectors to unite in the battle against dengue, which has developed into a formidable threat to regional health. According to the Thai health minister, at least 200,000 dengue patients have been reported in ASEAN each year, with latest statistics showing nearly 70,000 people in Cambodia, Lao, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam becoming victims to the disease in the first half of this year. Asia-Pacific, meanwhile, reportedly bears 75 per cent of global dengue cases now and ASEAN has the highest number of dengue infections in the region.(TNA)