UAE dengue fever campaign eliminates more than 400 mosquito breeding sites

A national campaign to limit the spread of dengue fever has helped eliminate 409 mosquito breeding sites and reduce the number of potentially fatal infections, a minister has said.

On Wednesday, Abdulrahman Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention, and Minister of State for FNC Affairs, answered a question from Federal National Council member Walid Ali Al Mansouri about measures being taken to combat the spread of the disease.

Mr Al Owais said nine specialist teams were deployed across the country by the Emirates Health Services Corporation (EHSC) and used GPS trackers to monitor virus-carrying mosquitoes.

The team conducted 1,200 entomological surveys to understand how the insects were interacting with humans to assess the threat posed by dengue fever.

Under the national mosquito and aedes aegypti elimination campaign, 309 blood samples were analysed for mosquito DNA to decipher what pesticides would be most effective in controlling mosquito populations.

A particularly wet year across the country has led to more standing water and ponds, creating greater numbers of breeding sites than usual.

Population control measures and community health programmes were completed in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADFSA) and the Ministry of Health and Community Protection, as hospitals reported incidents of local infections in people without a travel history to countries known to have dengue fever.

As more cases were reported, health workers received education on epidemiological surveillance of dengue fever and were given protocols to immediately report new incidents of human infection to encourage containment.

The EHSC said 134 health facilities had been equipped to provide appropriate health and treatment services for dengue fever patients, due to the surge in cases in recent months.

Climate change

Rare cases of dengue fever recorded in Dubai in people with no travel history outside of the country are the latest examples of the rising threat of climate change.

In cases recorded before the heavy rain in April and subsequent flooding, people who contracted the mosquito-borne virus warned others to take protective measures to avoid similar health problems.

Months before the storm hit Dubai, a previously fit and healthy marathon runner contracted dengue fever from a mosquito bite, and spent five days in hospital in Dubai.

Cases of dengue fever – a virus usually associated with tropical habitats – have been on the rise globally, with hospitals across Dubai also reporting an unusual increase in cases since last year.

Angus Ryan, 36, suddenly fell ill after running the Burj2Burj 21km half marathon on January 29.

Mr Ryan, an Australian living on Palm Jumeirah, had completed the endurance event with his wife Lucy, who was also struck down with the virus days later.

“Things moved fairly quickly after finishing the run,” he said.

“I thought it was something to do with my heart because my resting pulse was well over 100 beats a minute – usually it is around 60.

“That evening, I started to lose control of my body to the extent I had uncontrollable shakes and a fever, with a temperature over 40°C.”

Typical symptoms include a sudden high fever, headaches, joint pain and body aches, vomiting and swollen glands.

In some cases, a rash can appear days after the onset of fever. While there is no specific treatment, health professionals focus on managing patient symptoms.

Mr Ryan called for an ambulance and was checked into the emergency room at King's College London Hospital.

Blood tests

Blood tests concluded Mr Ryan had contracted dengue fever and he was treated with medication to reduce his temperature before being allowed to return home.

His condition soon deteriorated, however, and Mr Ryan was back in hospital for five nights. He was later joined by his wife.

Dengue fever usually has a five-day incubation period. Neither Mr Ryan nor his wife had left the UAE in the week before falling ill.

Similarly, around Christmas, Laith Al Omari, 24, from Syria, said he also caught dengue fever while staying in Dubai.

Laith Al Omari contracted dengue fever in December. Photo: Laith Al Omari

Mr Al Omari, who works in marketing at the Art of Living Mall in Barsha, spent several nights at the Parkview Mediclinic Hospital in Arjan after being admitted with a high fever.

“I had a red rash all over my body, and I was aching all over,” he said.

“They did blood tests and realised it was dengue, my platelets were extremely low.

“Doctors told me to be careful because if I contract it again, it could be much more dangerous."

Surging cases

There has been a significant increase in cases of the virus around the world, with record numbers reported in Saudi Arabia and Oman.

The virus is endemic in more than 100 countries, the World Health Organisation said.

These include Singapore, where the National Environment Agency has launched its prevention campaign ahead of the May-to-October peak season.

More than 5,000 cases have been reported there since the start of the year, which is more than double in the same period last year. Seven deaths have been recorded.

“When the mosquito feeds on these individuals, they are responsible for transmission of the infection to others," said Dr Mathew Abraham, an internal medicine specialist at Aster Hospital, Sharjah.

“A vaccine was only approved for use for children aged nine to 16, or those who had previously reported a dengue infection."

Studies have shown that in people who haven't had a prior infection who then take the dengue vaccine, the severity of their infection increases. Prevention is the best course of action.

Two vaccines, Dengvaxia and TAK-003, have been approved for use.