China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Saturday stepped up efforts at mosquito eradication in order to prevent the spread of dengue fever after 14 residents were confirmed to be infected.

Some 200 building sites with stagnant water and grass and all wet markets, hawker areas and public gardens will be cleaned up and treated with pesticide, according to Kui Kuok Ieng, director of the Health Service Bureau, who said that this will be the most effective measure against the spread of the disease.

Local residents were urged to clean up their houses and keep mosquitoes away by using mosquito repellent or mosquito nets.

Kui said the authorities are capable of keeping the disease under control and therefore people need not panic over the situation.

Dengue virus is transmitted only by a certain kind of mosquito that bites mainly during the day. A small number of people in southeast Asian countries have died of serious dengue fever, whose initial symptoms include fever, sore muscles and joints, and headaches.

This is the first time that dengue fever has been found in Macao. Fourteen cases have been confirmed while 17 others are suspected.

(Eastday.com.cn 09/03/2001)