Recent unseasonal rains have caused dengue fever outbreaks to rise sharply in Ho Chi Minh City.

Children with dengue fever are treated at the Chidren's Hospital No.2 in Ho Chi Minh City.

Since February, the city’s Children’s Hospital No.1 received 30 to 35 patients with dengue fever per day. From the beginning of April the figure has risen to 80 patients per day.

The Tropical Diseases Hospital last week received more than 150 patients with dengue fever, an increase of 100 percent compared with the same period last year.

Dr. Le Bich Lien, dean of the Dengue Fever Department at the city children’s hospital No.1, said unseasonal rains have caused mosquitoes and larvae to develop earlier.

HCMC districts 8, Thu Duc, Tan Binh and Tan Phu are worst hit, with cases of dengue fever up by as much as 300 percent over the same period last year, says Nguyen Dac Tho, deputy director of the city’s Health Preventive Center.

Mr. Tho has instructed local health officials to take precautionary measures against the disease, as well as warn residents to remain vigilant and contain the epidemic.

Symptoms of dengue fever, a common mosquito-borne disease in developing countries, include flu-like fever, skin rashes and severe pain in the head and limbs.

Dengue fever is transmitted by daytime-biting mosquitoes. International health organizations recommend people use insect repellant and cover legs and arms.