Chiang Rai News
Australian Scientists Tackling Dengue Fever
An explosion of dengue fever in Thailand since the start of the year has health officials warning occurrences of the disease, already up 75 percent over the same period last year
Hopes that dengue fever may one day be eradicated have been raised by scientists who have discovered how to stop mosquitoes carrying the disease.
Groundbreaking experiments in Queensland have found a common insect bacteria – wMel Wolbachia – can dramatically reduce the presence of dengue fever in mosquitoes.
If the number of mosquitoes carrying dengue can be cut, far fewer people could end up with the disease, which infects about 50 million people worldwide each year.
In the past decade, there have been 2400 cases of dengue fever reported during 36 outbreaks in Australia, mainly in northern Queensland and the Torres Strait.
Lead researcher and dean of science at Melbourne’s Monash University, Professor Scott O’Neill said while it was too early to say if the experiments heralded the end of dengue fever, it was a major step towards that goal.
‘I think it’s early days, but at the moment we are very hopeful,’ he told reporters.
‘People are very tired of dengue fever and very fearful of it and really don’t think there are good control measures available at the moment.
‘(What the experiments have shown is that) this strain of Wolbachia when it is put into mosquitoes … really reduces the ability of the (dengue) virus to grow in the mosquito and if it can’t grow, then it can’t get transmitted in people.’
Dengue fever has become endemic in tropical regions, where it is spread by a specific type of mosquito that becomes infected after biting humans with the disease.
Infected mosquitoes then spread the disease by biting other humans, who develop severe flu-like symptoms.
Despite millions of people being infected with dengue each year, there is currently no way of stopping its rapid spread either by vaccines or controlling mosquito populations.
Australian scientists have taken on the challenge and begun trials to see if infecting the mosquito breed that spreads the disease, known as A.aegypti, with the Wolbachia bacteria can stop them developing and spreading dengue fever.
While Wolbachia is carried by about five million insect species, it is not naturally present in A.aegypti.
As a result, the scientists had to breed genetically modified A.aegypti mozzies in a laboratory at James Cook University in Cairns.
Armed with the bacteria, the laboratory mosquito colony was fed dengue-infected blood meal.
As they continued to breed in an enclosed replica of a Queensland backyard, the number of mozzies carrying the Wolbachia bacteria increased while those with dengue fell.
The experiments marked the first time scientists succeeded in transforming a wild insect population to stop their ability to transmit human diseases.
Buoyed by their success, the scientists in January released about 300,000 laboratory mosquitoes over 10 weeks in the northern Queensland towns of Yorkeys Knob and Gordonvale to see if they would breed with local wild A.aegypti.
Tests carried out five weeks after the release program stopped showed almost all of the local A.aegypti mozzies carried the protective Wolbachia bacteria.
‘We expect these regions now to have a much reduced risk of dengue transmission within them,’ Prof O’Neill said.
The researchers plan to expand their study and carry out more tests in the Cairns region during this summer’s wet season, when mozzie numbers soar.
Travelers to Thailand are being reminded to exercise extreme vigilance against mosquitoes, with the country experiencing a five year high in dengue fever cases.
Thailand´s Ministry of Public Health said last week there has been 41,136 reported cases and 38 deaths from January 1 to July 20, compared to 22,969 infections and 19 deaths in the same period last year.
Of particular concern is an increasing number of reports of a virulent strain of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) cutting a swath through towns and villages in the north and northeastern provinces, with Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Mae Sai, and Surrin all reporting hospitals filled to capacity and deaths.
The situation is not much better in the south of the country, with the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office (PPHO) saying the number of dengue fever cases there is soaring, while Thailand´s five southern border provinces have recorded more than 6,500 cases and 13 deaths between the start of the year and July 29.
DHF is particularly dangerous, with patients exhibiting higher fever, and variable hemorrhagic phenomena, including bleeding from the eyes, nose, mouth, and ear into the gut, and oozing blood from skin pores.
Also known as the bone-crusher disease, dengue is transmitted to humans by the female Aedes aegypti mosquito, which feeds exclusively during daylight hours.
Provincial hospitals are urging residents and concerned agencies to help clean up breeding sites of house mosquitoes in order to control the spread, and also advising people to seek immediate medical attention if they suspect they are infected.
In June Thailand Travel News reported on the early wet season emergence of dengue (see: Tourists urged to take precautions as dengue fever cases rise) and plans by the PPHO to mount a concerted effort on the island of Phuket to bring the disease under control.
There is no tested and approved vaccine for the dengue flavivirus and a classic dengue fever infection can last between two to seven days, with a smaller peak of fever at the trailing end of the disease.
Symptoms are very similar to influenza and can very in intensity, but include fever, bad headaches, muscle and joint pains, skin rashes, and overall weakness in the body.
Due to the risk of bleeding with DHF, people in dengue fever areas who exhibit symptoms should not be given aspirin, but paracetamol is okay, and should seek immediate medical treatment.
Tourists visiting regions prone to dengue fever should be particularly vigilant during daylight hours and wear long-sleeved clothes and long trousers when going outdoors. The use of good quality insect repellents containing DEET on clothes and exposed parts of the body is highly recommended.
Police in Wiang Kaen District of Chiang Rai Province have arrested a 50 year old man after the threatened to rape a 20 year-old woman and the proceeded to murder her 2 and half month old baby.
Police with doctors from Wiang Kaen Hospital and the Chao Luang Wiang Kaen Welfare Association were summoned to the scene of the incident to a 2-story cement house, Village No. 2, Tha Kham Subdistrict, Wiang Kaen District of Chiang Rai
On arrival they found Ms. Chanikarn, age 20, in a state of distress crying uncontrollably beside her 2 and a half month baby girl (Linlada) that was dead on the floor.
After calming Ms. Chanikarn, the child’s mother, said that at approximately 2:30 p.m she was out to collect diapers that had been dried in front of the house, while her 2 and a half month old daughter was sleep on the ground floor of the house.
She said she was suddenly approached by a Mr. Lee, about 40 years old, who lived on the opposite side of the road. He came towards her and grabbed her arm and threatened her saying if she didn’t sleeping with him he will go and kill his daughter.
Miss Chanikan refused and ran away, then Mr. Lee then walked into the house and grabbed Ms. Linlada’s leg, smashing the child’s head against the cement floor of the house. The infant died immediately.
Mr. Lee then just walked away and returned to his own home, leaving Miss Chanikan and her dead baby.
When police went to Mr. Lee’s home he immediately confessed killing the infant and was taken to Wiang Kaen Police Station for further questioning. Under caution he told police that he was sexually attracted to Miss Chanikan‘s and when her husband leave for work he took the opportunity to approach her.
He said when he saw her husband leave he crossed that road and found Miss Chanikan in the yard alone, he then threatened her to sleep with him, saying he would kill her child if she didn’t have sex with him. However when she refused he flew into a fit of rage walked into her home and murdered he baby. He said he was out of control with rage.
After killing the infant he walk across the street to his home and waited for the police to arrive. The police have charged him with premeditated murder and attempted rape. He is being held without bail at the local remand center.
Meanwhile, Miss Chanikan and her family were preparing a religious burial ceremony for the child.
Other Chiang Rai News:
Machete Wielding Man Shot an Killed by Police in Chiang Rai
https://www.chiangraitimes.com/chiangrai-news/machete-wielding-man-shot-an-killed-by-police-in-chiang-rai/
CHIANG RAI: Prime Minister Settha Thavisin has authorized the establishment of an emergency cyber center operated by the Royal Thai Police to combat transnational crimes committed by call center gangs along the Thai border in Chiang Rai province.
On July 19, Prime Minister Settha Thavisin directed the Center to combat information technology crimes. The Royal Thai Police (Royal Thai Police) will crack down on call center gangs in Myanmar, Laos, and along the border.
His directive comes as call center gangs ratchet up their scams to defraud people of their money, causing concern among Thais and jeopardizing the country’s economic and social stability.
Pol. Gen. Kittirat Panphet, Deputy Commander and Director of the Police Crime Suppression Division, Assigned Pol. Lt. Gen. Thatchai Pitanilabut, Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Police/Deputy Director of the Police Crime Suppression Division, has launched the operation ‘Bombing the Thieves’ Bridge’ in collaboration with the CAT Office, G., mobile phone network operators AIS DTAC TRUE NT, and local security agencies to cut the mobile phone signal and WiFi internet that criminals illegally use to deceive Thai citizens.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Thatchai stated that they will begin pressing the first action of the ‘Explosion of Thieves’ Bridge’ in Chiang Rai Province toward the thieves’ base of operations in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone.
The territory surrounding King Roman in Laos. King Roman is now a full-service entertainment destination with an airport that welcomes travelers from Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar, he explained.
According to Pol. Lt. Gen. Thatchai, this operation will have no influence on honest people along the Thai border, and it will only target cyber criminals.
They will also increase the arrest and prosecution of unlawful service towers, such as SIM booths, which allow gangs register SIM cards to swindle the people. Dealing with criminal organizations of foreigners and Thais who band together to deceive and damage Thais.
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) suspended more than three million SIM cards on July 16 because the holders had not verified their identities with their mobile phone operators by the deadline, in accordance with the NBTC’s measures to combat alleged fraudsters’ mule accounts.
The names of the holders of 80 million mobile phone numbers used for mobile banking transactions did not match the names associated with the mobile banking accounts.
The NBTC would require mobile phone companies to authenticate SIM card holders and the names of their mobile banking accounts. The verification procedure is expected to be completed by the end of September this year.
In addition, the NBTC and Royal Thai Police have collaborated to combat illegal telecom towers throughout the country’s borders, disconnecting signals at 465 places, altering antenna direction at 470 towers, and dismantling antennas at 179 locations.
They are certain that the move will disrupt contact center gangs and other types of technology-based crime.
Other Chiang Rai News:
Machete Wielding Man Shot an Killed by Police in Chiang Rai
https://www.chiangraitimes.com/chiangrai-news/machete-wielding-man-shot-an-killed-by-police-in-chiang-rai/
Police in Mae Chan, Chiang Rai, shot and killed a 28-year-old man who allegedly attacked a police officer with a machete. The officer was slashed in the right leg with the machete.
According to police, the culprit, known only as Mr. Toon, had been harassing local villagers in Mae Chan district, Chiang Rai, threatening them with a knife and using violet insults.
The village headman arrived on the scene to try to calm Mr. Toon, but he was shouting hysterically and taking swipes at him with the machete, so he contacted the police.
When the responding officer arrived at the site about 9 p.m., he attempted to calm the man, but he instead assaulted the officer, slashing his right leg with the machete. In self-defense, the cop had to fire his gun at Mr. Toon, striking him in the chest.
Mr. Toon and the policeman were taken to Mae Chan Hospital, where Mr. Toon died of a gunshot wound. Pol Sgt. Sutthikiat Phanomphraisakul was released from the hospital after receiving numerous stitches for his injuries.
Local police received a tip around 9.30 p.m. yesterday that a guy was causing mayhem in the village. When authorities arrived, they discovered 28-year-old Toon strolling along a public road, holding a large knife and threatening people. Mae Chan district officials attempted to contain the incident.
During a search of Mr. Toon’s home, authorities discovered methamphetamine consumption equipment. Locals told authorities that the man was addicted to Yaba (Methamphetamine) and an alcoholic.
The authorities are conducting an inquiry to determine Toon’s motivations and whether any underlying issues contributed to his violent outburst.
Other related news:
Chiang Mai Police Offer Cash Reward After Officer Killed
https://www.chiangraitimes.com/crime/chiang-mai-police-offer-reward/
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