Dengue fever has struck every township in Arakan State this monsoon season as storms and floods provide the conditions for mosquitoes to transmit the deadly disease. Sixteen people have died from the dengue virus so far, an officer from the Department of Health told DVB on Monday.

“Most cases of dengue were detected in Minbya, Kyauktaw, Taungup and Sittwe,” said Dr. San Kyawt Khine, assistant director of the regional public health department.

“By Friday, more than 1,400 people had contracted dengue fever in the state and 16 had died,” he said. “Several cases were diagnosed in Buthidaung and Maungdaw last month, but none in July.”

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The number of dengue fever cases in the first six months of this year was higher than the whole of 2016, he added.