According to statistics by the First Financial Daily reporter, from the beginning of the month to the end of the month, the cumulative number of new dengue fever cases reported in Guangdong Province exceeded ten thousand.

According to the latest dengue fever epidemic monitoring report from Guangdong CDC, during the week (month day to month day), the number of newly reported dengue fever cases in Guangdong Province fell below two thousand, totaling cases. In the previous and weeks, the number of newly reported dengue fever cases in Guangdong Province both exceeded two thousand.

According to statistics by the First Financial Daily reporter, from the beginning of the month to the end of the month, the cumulative number of newly reported dengue fever cases in Guangdong Province exceeded ten thousand. The emergence of this wave of dengue fever epidemic is a test for medical institutions on how to respond. Infection with dengue fever can lead to symptoms such as fever, rash, muscle and bone pain, and in severe cases, bleeding and even death. There is currently no specific treatment for dengue fever, and the question of whether taking antipyretic analgesics like ibuprofen might exacerbate the disease has also drawn attention.

In the 50th week, the number of newly reported dengue fever cases in Guangdong Province was 10, a decrease of 10 cases compared to the 49th week. Guangdong CDC has been regularly releasing dengue fever epidemic monitoring updates since the 44th week (October 23 to October 29), and has continued to do so for six consecutive weeks. In the 46th, 47th, 48th, and 49th weeks, the number of newly reported dengue fever cases in Guangdong Province increased compared to the previous week, with increases of 10, 20, 30, and 40 cases respectively. Is the turning point of the dengue fever outbreak gradually emerging?

According to statistics by the First Financial Daily reporter, from the beginning of the month to the end of the month, the total number of newly reported dengue fever cases in Guangdong Province was approximately 10,000. The cities of Foshan and Guangzhou were the hardest hit, with the cumulative number of newly reported cases ranking at the top of the province, both exceeding 2,000. In October, the bed capacity for treating dengue fever patients in some hospitals in Foshan and Guangzhou was once strained. To meet the needs of patients, some hospitals had to increase the number of beds.

On the specified date, a reporter from the First Financial Daily visited the infectious disease ward of Foshan Fuxing Chan Cheng Hospital, one of the designated hospitals in Foshan for treating dengue fever patients. In the infectious disease ward, the reporter observed that the beds for dengue fever patients were all equipped with mosquito nets. Additionally, curtains were hung at the entrance of the ward to prevent mosquitoes.

"We have a total of 100 beds in our Infectious Diseases Department, all of which are fully occupied, and this situation has been ongoing for some time. To cope with this wave of the epidemic, relying solely on the Infectious Diseases Department to admit patients is quite challenging. In addition to the Infectious Diseases Department, some other departments in our hospital, such as the Respiratory Department and the Oncology Department, have also allocated some beds to admit patients. For patients who have underlying diseases, contracting dengue fever can further exacerbate their existing conditions, requiring them to return to the relevant departments for treatment," said Wang Jianhua, Director of the Infectious Diseases Department at Foshan Fuxing Zen Cheng Hospital, in an interview with First Financial Daily.

On the date, a reporter from the First Financial Daily further inquired about the treatment of dengue fever patients at different hospitals. Chen Qifang, head nurse of the Infectious Diseases Department and deputy head nurse of the Department of Internal Medicine at Foshan Fuxing Chan Cheng Hospital, told the First Financial Daily that currently, the beds in the department are still relatively tight. "Some patients can be discharged within about a week after admission, but for some patients, the time will be extended, so the turnover rate of beds will be relatively slower."

A doctor from the infectious disease department of a Grade III, Level A hospital in Guangzhou told the First Financial Daily that in addition to the infectious disease department, the hospital's departments of traditional Chinese medicine and respiratory medicine are also admitting patients. The hospital's beds are currently sufficient to meet the needs of patients. "As long as there is a need, we can still admit them."

In the past week, our bed turnover has improved slightly, and there is a downward trend in the number of dengue fever patients seeking treatment," said Dr. Peng Jie, Director of the Center for Difficult and Infectious Diseases at Southern Medical University's Nanfang Hospital, in an interview with Yicai Global.

Dengue fever is an acute infectious disease transmitted through the bite of the Aedes mosquito (also known as the striped mosquito), primarily spread through the "patient → Aedes mosquito → others" pathway. Infection with dengue fever results in symptoms such as fever, rash, muscle and bone pain, and in severe cases, bleeding and even death.

Chen Qifang told the First Financial Daily reporter that based on the patients admitted to the department, in previous years, patients would exhibit symptoms such as fever, joint pain, and rash. However, this year, many patients have presented gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea), headaches, and even some have described their headaches as excruciating. Some patients have reported that contracting this wave of dengue fever has been more arduous than their previous experience with COVID-19.

Currently, there is no specific medication for dengue fever, and the focus of treatment is on controlling pain with analgesics. There is a view that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and aspirin should be avoided due to their potential to increase bleeding risk. However, several doctors have told First Financial Daily that drugs like ibuprofen and aspirin are not entirely off-limits in the treatment of dengue fever.

"Ibuprofen and aspirin both belong to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The use of these medications may lead to thrombocytopenia, increasing the risk of bleeding, and can easily cause gastrointestinal bleeding, skin bleeding, etc. If there is already a tendency to bleed or a reduction in platelet count, these medications should not be used. Overall, medications like acetaminophen are relatively safer. In the treatment of dengue fever, although ibuprofen and aspirin are not strictly contraindicated, they should not be used excessively, such as repeated use within a day or the use of multiple antipyretic drugs. This practice is not advisable," said an anonymous infectious disease doctor.

Peng Jie also stated that for individuals without underlying conditions such as gastric or gastrointestinal ulcers, or with platelet counts not below a certain level, using ibuprofen can help reduce fever and alleviate pain. Conversely, for those with ulcerative conditions or low platelet counts, using ibuprofen increases the risk of bleeding. Overall, the drug should be used under appropriate conditions.

Currently, high-risk groups still need to guard against dengue fever. The aforementioned unnamed infectious disease doctor stated that high-risk groups for severe dengue fever include elderly individuals aged 60 and above, late-term pregnant women, those with underlying conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, peptic ulcer, chronic respiratory diseases, chronic kidney disease, chronic liver disease, and thalassemia, as well as those experiencing secondary infections.