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Riyadh: The number of dengue cases in Jeddah is on the rise despite the relentless efforts being made by the authorities to contain it. According to the Ministry of Health, a total of 784 people, who have been admitted to various government and private hospitals in the Red Sea city, were confirmed to be suffering from the mosquito-borne viral disease since the beginning of this year. At least five people affected by dengue have died in Jeddah so far this year. The ministry said in a statement released earlier that about 58 per cent of the affected people were Saudi citizens. "Saudi men represent 35 per cent of the cases while the percentage of cases with Saudi women is 23. Expatriates make up the remaining 42 per cent, of these 32 per cent were men," the statement said.
The ministry officials have issued a fresh warning to both citizens as well as to expatriates to keep utmost vigil against the disease in which fatality rates range between 20 per cent and up to 70 per cent in some cases. Dozens of new dengue cases were reported with more affected people being admitted to various hospitals in the city, especially King Abdul Aziz Hospital and King Fahd General Hospital. Earlier, Saudi authorities had declared an all-out war against the disease. They have adopted a string of measures, including launching a massive awareness campaign, expediting implementation of sewage projects, spraying of insecticides, buying of ovitraps. Jeddah Governor Prince Mishaal Bin Majid recently flagged off a national awareness campaign against the disease. The campaign, which was started by the Ministry of Health in cooperation with the Jeddah Municipality, is aimed at eliminating the disease. "The plan is to educate the public by all means possible, through newspapers, schools, television and the mosques. The municipality will begin to spray all the areas of the city as well as all the houses," the Governor said. The Ministry of Health has readied all arrangements to combat the disease. It set up an information booth to keep people updated on the disease through the internet. "Anyone who wants to know more or with any question can call 940 for information about the disease," said Dr Hamad Al Manie, Minister of Health. The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs gave instructions to expedite implementation of the second phase of Jeddah's giant Sanitary Sewage Project costing 7 billion Saudi riyals (about Dh6.86 billion). Jeddah Municipality decided to employ extra workers to complete the works of filling swamps. The municipality also concluded a deal to import 3,000 ovitraps from Singapore to fight the disease. Jeddah's pools of stagnant water, overflowing septic tanks, leaking water pipes and inadequate drainage are seen as major causes of the disease. Symptoms of the disease are fever, aches, vomiting and a severe rash, which normally last from two days to a week.
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