(KPL) Dengue death tolls and infection cases are rising in number with over 15,500 people falling sick with and 35 dying of the disease since Dec 29, 2018, has said a report of Ministry of Health.

The number of dengue fatalities in Savannakhet is higher than those reported in other provinces.

Eleven people have reportedly died of dengue in Savannakhet, seven in Vientiane Capital, five in Champassak, three in Saravan, four in Khammuan, two in Borikhamxay and one in Xayaboury.

Over 3,300 infection cases have been recorded in Vientiane Capital, more than 2,600 in Savannakhet, over 2,100 in Saravan, more than 1,600 in Khammuan, 2,700 in Champassak, 914 in Attapeu, and over 600 in Borikhamxay.

Luang Namtha has reported 468 infection cases, Vientiane has done 579, Sekong 311, Xayaboury 319, Luang Prabang 177, Xaysomboun 221, Oudomxay 37, Borikhamxay 665, Bokeo 15, Xieng Khuang 20 and Phongsaly 1.

No infection cases of dengue have been reported in Huaphan.

Big increases have been reported in Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia, according to the China Daily.

Thailand is experiencing its biggest outbreak in more than two decades. The Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia have also reported significant upticks in cases this year. The World Health Organization said there are big increases in Cambodia, Laos, China and Australia too.

Health authorities throughout Southeast Asia track the dengue outbreaks every year. Between 2017 and 2018, the numbers dropped but spiked up again this year.

According to statistics from Thailand's Ministry of Public Health, until May 13 this year, 20,733 people were infected with dengue and 25 of them died.

The Philippines reported more than 60,000 cases and more than 237 deaths as of last month. Vietnam reported more than 52,000 cases, three times as many as in 2018, but only a handful of deaths.

In Malaysia, there were 67 deaths through to the end of April with more than 43,000 cases of dengue reported, also three times as many as last year.

In Singapore, the National Environment Agency said earlier this month that there have been more cases of dengue this year than in 2018.

The NEA reported 3,455 cases until May 16 this year, almost 200 more than were reported in the same period in 2018 and far more than the 2,772 cases reported in 2017. Three people have died.

The WHO estimates that there are about 390 million infections every year.

An acute infectious disease, dengue is caused by a virus transmitted by a specific type of mosquito, the aedes mosquito. It causes headaches, joint pain, rashes and fever.

KPL