MOSCOW, September 30 (RIA Novosti) - Chinese health authorities have launched a campaign to fight the current outbreak of dengue fever, which is believed to be the worst in 20 years, by outlining the major preventive measures against the disease, Xinhua news agency reported on Tuesday.
"The [National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC)] commission called for efforts to cut numbers of mosquitoes, including by sealing puddles of stagnant water, common breeding grounds for the insects. It also suggested people wear trousers and long sleeves to cover their skin," the report read.
According to the NHFPC almost 14,000 dengue fever cases have been reported in China this year, as the abnormally hot and wet summer provoked a five-fold increase in mosquito population.
Earlier this week, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned the Chinese citizens against possible dengue risks, prior to the country's one-week National Day holiday starting on October 1.
Dengue fever is a tropical disease spread by mosquitoes causing symptoms such as severe joint pain and high fever, potentially developing into a lethal complication called severe dengue, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Currently there are no vaccines or drugs to combat dengue fever and experts claim that preventive measures are the only cure.