Thailand is currently facing what many experts predict will become a severe dengue fever outbreak, with up to 150,000 infections a possibility by the end of the year, according to the Department of Disease Control (DDC).
Opas Karnkawinpong, permanent secretary for public health, said on Monday the number of dengue cases has already surged this year, with over 30,000 cases and 33 deaths recorded so far.
Dr Opas was speaking at "Dengue: Effective Action for Treatment and Prevention", a seminar held at Rajavithi Hospital on Monday.
"The ministry is highly concerned about the increasing number of dengue infections. They may reach up to 150,000 cases this year if preventive measures fail," he said.
In the past, infections were mostly found among children, but now the disease has been widely detected among adults and senior citizens, he said.
This phenomenon might be the result of zero immunity as these adults and elderly people who have never been infected with the disease before.
Dr Opas said health authorities found that people living in urban areas have a higher risk of catching dengue than those living in remote areas due to people's mobility.
"People are now travelling more from one place to another place after the end of the Covid-19 pandemic. That's why they are more vulnerable to catching the disease.
"We want to raise awareness, and people should urgently visit a doctor if they feel that they are having symptoms related to dengue. With screening and early detection, we can save lives," he said.
He went on to say that the vaccine against dengue fever is very new and needs further study before widespread adoption can be considered.
"Our academic team is studying the case, and we don't want to quickly jump to a conclusion. Any decision must be based on academic support, not social pressure," he said.
Meanwhile, Dr Chantana Pudungtod, director of the Vector Borne Disease Division of the DDC, said that the current number of infections is 2.7 times higher than for the same period of last year.
She said that the North is the main hot spot for infections, followed by the Central Plains and surges in the South and Northeast. The youngest patient was a one-month baby, and the oldest 76. The death rate is 0.11%.