Hadhramout governorate (southeast of Yemen) is witnessing a significant increase in the number of people infected with viral fevers (dengue), which is spreading in all of its areas of the Valley and Desert districts, where the emergency departments in the hospitals and health centers are crowded with them, in light of the scarcity of the capabilities and the lack of health staff working in them.
The emergency department of Seiyun General Hospital, which is the place where most of the people infected with viral fevers go to, from all areas of the district—the highest concentration foci of infected people—received more than 200 cases of viral fever (dengue) in one day alone. In addition to the health centers and private clinics, in which many patients are waiting for their turn to enter.
The citizen, Mohammed Saleh, who was infected with viral fever about 10 days ago and still has symptoms in his body until today, says in his interview with "Khuyut": “After my daughter Salma (13 years old) was infected and continued to be sick for about three weeks, the fever then moved to infect more than four family members.
Saleh adds that the symptoms begin with a headache and severe pain in the back and legs, followed by a high temperature, and then, after a few days, the symptoms of nausea, abdominal pain, and sensitivity in all parts of the body begin.
A report issued by the Health and Population Office in the Valley and Desert districts in Hadramout, reviewed by "Khuyut", states that the total number of reported cases of viral fever as of the date of writing the report, amounted to 2456 cases, concentrated in the Seiyun district with a number of 1997 cases, in addition to 137 cases in the Shibam district, 133 cases in the Tarim district, and 102 cases in the Al-Qattan district. However, specialists point out that the number of infections with viral fever may exceed more than double if we take into account those who frequently visit private clinics, simple trauma clinics spread in neighborhoods, and home nurses.
After the large spread of the viral fevers, the local and health authorities in the Valley and Desert districts in Hadramout, along with the youth initiatives, mobilized their efforts in an attempt to contain their spread. Therefore, the epidemiological surveillance teams carried out field visits for entomological investigation in order to search for the foci of mosquito breeding in some places.
According to the epidemiological surveillance official at the Health Office in Hadhramaut, Dr. Saeed Saedan, in a statement to "Khuyut" that the spread of viral fevers began after the rainfall during the last period in Hadramout, and thereafter, the vector mosquitoes found perfect grounds and habitats for breeding.
Saedan says: "The vector mosquitoes, which are endemic in a limited extent in the Valley and Desert districts in the water pools left by the rains, were able to obtain new habitats for breeding, and foci formation, then moving to other breeding foci, such as the water of desert air conditioners and refrigerators, coolers, and the basins spread in the streets of the city."
Efforts to Control the Dengue Fever Outbreak
After the high spread of the viral fevers, the local and health authorities in the Valley and Desert districts, along with youth initiatives, mobilized their efforts in an attempt to contain their spread. Therefore, the epidemiological surveillance teams carried out field visits for the entomological investigation in order to search for the foci of mosquito breeding in some places. In addition, the local authorities and the Health Office in the governorate direct the health units and centers of the Health Office in the Seiyun district to open their doors for two shifts, morning and evening, as well as providing free intravenous solutions for the people infected with viral fever.
Further, these efforts come in light of the scarcity of capabilities and weaknesses in the cadre, which did not yield the desired results. Consequently, this prompted some volunteer teams, such as the Lammat Shabab team, in the area of Mariama, one of the areas of Seiyun district, to implement a volunteer campaign to combat mosquito vectors.
According to team member Majed Hammad, speaking to Khuyut, the campaign began with the spraying process using diesel in the large pools of water left by the rainfall and in the water basins of the agricultural machines (used to generate electricity in homes), and working on the entomological surveillance in water coolers in mosques, schools, and other places to eliminate mosquito eggs and larvae. Then there was the implementation of the smoke spraying campaign for vector mosquitoes, which lasted for three days. Consequently, with this campaign, the daily infection rates recorded in the region have decreased significantly.
Meteorological Alerts
The expended efforts and coordination between the popular and official sides, and their harmony in awareness-raising and prevention campaigns, and the intensification of the necessary treatment have led to a noticeable relative decline in the number of infected people.
However, viral fever (dengue) cases still appear from one moment to another due to the presence of incubating environments, which may not have been reached by the efforts of those concerned for reasons that are not clear.
This situation raises concern and fear of a strong increase in the cases of viral fever, especially since there are meteorological alerts indicating the possibility of continuing climate changes and fluctuations in Wadi Hadramout, which portend the return of waves of viral fever (dengue).
