Yesterday's Bangkok Post carried a further report about the increased number of dengue patients. This morning a group of men armed with gas tanks and spray guns came to the resort I live at and sprayed all the nooks & crannies and every room.

The Public Health Ministry is on high alert for dengue fever and is stepping up preventative efforts. A weeklong campaign to destroy breeding grounds for the dengue mosquito is being launched nationwide from March 20-27. More than 800,000 volunteers have already pledged to take part in the campaign. The campaign is the result of a discovery that changing weather patterns have created better conditions for mosquitoes to breed in. Dr Prat Boonyawongviroj, permanent secretary to the Public Health Ministry, revealed that the number of dengue patients among children over the age of 10 has increased dramatically. Symptoms of the disease, he warned, include fatigue and a high fever. He warned against patients against taking a pill known as Ibuprofen, commonly used to reduce a fever. "The best pill to take is Paracetamol. If the fever doesn't improve after two days, then it would be best to consult with a doctor as soon as possible" he said.