A Vietnamese migrant in his 20s who works for a filtering-system company has become the second person this year to contract dengue fever locally in Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan, prompting the city government to step up efforts to combat mosquito breeding.
The worker, who was sent by his company to clean the freshwater supply system underground in Daliao district of Kaohsiung, became ill on Sunday with high fever, severe headache, and pain in his muscles and joints, the Taiwan Times reported.
After a day of taking paracetamol, his fever had not subsided, so he saw a doctor. He was told to take a rapid diagnostic test for dengue fever.
The test results, released on Tuesday, were positive for dengue. The patient had no recent travel history and spent most of his time in his workplace and workers’ hostel in Daliao district with his compatriots.
The Kaohsiung Department of Health immediately conducted interviews with 155 people who had close contact with the patient, of whom 46 were also advised to undergo a diagnostic test. None of them showed clinical features or symptoms of the illness.
According to the department, the authorities might press charges against the worker’s employment agency, which allegedly provided wrong information regarding the dengue victim’s employer and where he would be required to work.
People in the area have been advised to help stem mosquito proliferation by preventing accumulation of stagnant water.