Dr Preecha Prempree, deputy director-general of the department, said that the figures were from Jan 1 to June 11, when the number of patients doubled the five-year average.
The situation is the same in Thailand’s neighbouring countries thanks to a similar climate and conditions, he said. He attributed the epidemic to failure to control mosquito larvae.
On Friday, the Public Health Ministry signed an agreement with seven state agencies to seriously control mosquito larvae. They are the Defence Ministry, Tourism and Sports Ministry, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Interior Ministry, Culture Ministry, Education Ministry and Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.
Dr Sukhum Kanchanapimai, permanent secretary for public health, said the control would focus on communities, temples, schools and hospitals. “Communities and temples are major sources of mosquito larvae,” he said.
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