VIENTIANE, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- Eleven people have died in a nationwide outbreak of dengue fever so far this year, with cases spiking from May until the latest recorded figures on Sept. 14, according to the Lao Ministry of Health on Tuesday.
From January until May 31, the number of dengue infection was 1,760, but the figure surged to 8,264 between then and Sept. 14.
Most of the cases occurred in Lao capital Vientiane, where the number stood at 332 in May but had jumped to 2,797 cases by Sept. 14 with two deaths reported.
A health expert at the National Center for Laboratory and Epidemiology under the Ministry of Health said Tuesday that openly reporting outbreaks was one way of countering the spread of the virus.
The official said the second largest number of cases occurred in central Savannakhet province where 852 dengue fever infections and two deaths had been recorded.
Dengue is an infectious tropical disease transmitted by particular breeds of mosquito and characterized by rashes, severe headaches, and pain in the joints.
