YANGON, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- The total death toll of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) has risen to 107 in Myanmar in the first nine months this year, according to the figures released by the Ministry of Health and Sports on Thursday.
From January to Sept. 21 this year, a total of 18,320 people were infected by the mosquito-borne disease across the country, the ministry's Public Health Department said.
Regionally, Kachin state registered the highest infection with 2,904 cases and 29 deaths, followed by Ayeyarwady region with 2,631 cases, 11 deaths and others.
Meanwhile, 24 deaths were registered in Yangon region where 2,464 people were infected.
According to Vector Borne Disease Control Programme under the ministry, the DHF transmission mostly infected children aged between 5 and 9, registered 7,346 infection cases.
Last year, 3,469 DHF infection cases were recorded across Myanmar, claiming 187 lives.
Dengue fever is transmitted by the bite of the Aedes mosquito and mostly occurs in Myanmar in the rainy season of June, July and August.
The ministry urged people to take preventative measures including clearing mosquito breeding grounds and anti-larval operations against the DHF transmission, as the infectious disease outbreaks mostly occur due to lack of sanitation, unhygienic water storage and others.
