A top health official in military-ruled Burma says dengue fever has killed nearly 100 people this year.
The official said today that in the first seven months of the year, Burma recorded eight-thousand cases of dengue fever, and 98 deaths from the mosquito-borne disease.
The official said that 32 of those deaths occurred during the month of July. The announcement comes amid fears of a possible epidemic in Southeast Asia.
Last month, the World Health Organization (WHO) voiced its alarm about the spread of dengue fever and urged governments to do more to contain the disease.
The disease can trigger severe fever, headaches, rashes as well as muscle and joint pain.
The WHO says about 40 percent of the world is at risk from dengue.
