Japan confirms 19 new cases of dengue fever in Tokyo

Japan's health ministry on Monday confirmed 19 more cases of dengue fever contracted in the country following the three cases reported last week, bringing the total number to 22.
All of the sufferers are in stable condition, the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry said.
None of them had travelled overseas recently, but all had a history of visiting Tokyo's Yoyogi Park last month, the ministry said, adding that they are believed to have been bitten there by mosquitoes bearing the virus.
On Aug. 28, the Tokyo metropolitan government officials fumigated the park, one of the largest and very popular parks in central Tokyo, after the first case was revealed.
The health ministry is investigating whether anyone close to the confirmed sufferers has also been infected. The last case of domestic infection in Japan was in 1945, but the country reports about 200 cases of dengue fever every year among Japanese who have travelled abroad. Last year, there were record 249 patients.
Dengue fever is transmitted by mosquitoes but not directly from person to person, and common in tropical and subtropical areas in Asia, Latin America and Africa, with 50 million to 100 million infections a year.
According to the World Health Organization, Dengue causes flu-like symptoms and high fevers, and there is no vaccine or any specific medicine to treat the disease. (end) mk.tg