Da Nang sees surge in dengue cases as dangerous virus strain spreads

The number of dengue outbreak clusters has risen sharply, reaching 283, marking a year-on-year increase of nearly fourfold, according to the Da Nang Center for Disease Control.

The city has been reporting an average of about 350 dengue cases a week in recent weeks.

Although the number of new cases declined slightly last week, it remained higher than both the five-year average and the level seen during the same period in 2025, said Dr. Nguyen Dai Vinh, director of the center.

“The central region is entering the rainy season, so the outbreak could continue to intensify,” Vinh said.

Inspection teams have been dispatched to areas where dengue case numbers are rising, he said.

Laboratory testing has revealed a notable finding in this year’s outbreak: the predominance of the DENV-2 strain.

Between January and September, 39 of 56 positive samples (70 percent) belonged to the DENV-2 serotype, according to the center.

DENV-2 is considered a strain associated with a higher risk of severe dengue and potentially fatal complications.

Intensive campaign to eliminate mosquito breeding sites

The center said one of its immediate priorities is to strengthen surveillance and promptly respond to individual cases and small outbreak clusters across the city.

The onset of the rainy season creates favorable conditions for mosquitoes that transmit dengue to reproduce and spread.

Without effective control of breeding sites, the risk of new outbreaks is expected to increase.

Over the weekend, authorities in Ngu Hanh Son Ward mobilized residents to eliminate mosquito larvae and breeding sites.

The ward also carried out a second round of disinfectant spraying in several areas where outbreaks had been detected.

Local authorities said prevention efforts were not limited to spraying disinfectant after an outbreak emerged.

Residents were also urged to turn over containers that could collect water and clear vegetation around their homes to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.

The Da Nang Department of Health told Tuoi Tre (Youth) online newspaper that it had established inspection teams to monitor infectious-disease prevention and control measures in eight communes and wards: Ngu Hanh Son, Son Tra, Hoa Khanh, An Khe, Kham Duc, Thanh My, Dai Loc, and Dien Ban Bac.

The inspection campaign will continue through October 7.

The center stressed that dengue prevention cannot rely solely on disinfectant spraying once an outbreak occurs.

Eliminating mosquito breeding grounds, particularly water containers containing mosquito larvae, remains a key community-level prevention measure.