Taipei, Nov. 26 (CNA) The number of dengue fever cases reported since the start of May has totaled 38,067, with the majority of cases reported in southern Taiwan, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said Thursday.

While Tainan is seeing an alleviation in the number of new cases, Kaohsiung is facing a rise in new cases, the CDC said.

Tainan was hardest-hit in the summer months and early autumn, with a total of 22,592 cases reported as of Wednesday.

Since early November, fewer new cases were reported there, with the number of new cases in a single day dropping to under 50 for 19 consecutive days.

On Nov. 22, only nine new cases were reported in Tainan. However, 36 of the 37 administrative districts in the city are still affected.

On the other hand, Kaohsiung, where the accumulated number of dengue fever cases was less than 3,000 in early October, has since seen the number continuously rise.

As of Wednesday, a total of 14,739 cases were reported in Kaohsiung. New cases in a single day reached an all-time high on Nov. 25 at 321, according to the CDC.

Kaohsiung was the worst-hit last year, with a total of 14,999 cases reported.

Twenty hospitals in Kaohsiung have set up fast-track screening units, and six hospitals have set up special clinical departments for dengue fever treatment, the CDC reported.

(By W.T. Chen, Y.H. Chang and Lillian Lin)
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