Dak Lak and Gia Lai have recorded their first dengue fever deaths in 2026, with patients including both young adults and the elderly, all of whom had underlying health conditions.
Refrigerator drip trays, plant pot saucers, gutters, or even a single bottle cap holding water can become mosquito breeding grounds if not regularly inspected.
What seemed like a routine fever led a 16-year-old girl into shock, acute respiratory failure, and multi-organ failure, necessitating over one month on ecmo. Her treatment costs approached one billion dong, even with health insurance.
After 6 days of outpatient dengue fever treatment, Mr. Ha, 47, experienced a significant drop in platelet count, a tenfold increase in liver enzymes, and acute hepatitis complications, necessitating hospitalization.
Two variants, NB.1.8.1 and XFG.1.1, are dominant in Ho Chi Minh City, though there is no evidence they cause more severe illness than previous strains.
After recovering from dengue fever, Minh Tam and his wife cleaned stagnant water sources to prevent mosquito bites and researched vaccines to proactively protect themselves.
