Dengue Fever 2015: “We Thought We Had Lost Her…”

Khun Than Cho was worried when the school called to tell her, her daughter, Aye Aye was sick.

“I was planting corn with my husband and older son when I got the call. I took time off to take my daughter to the clinic.”

Khun Than Cho said the medic at the village clinic said Aye Aye had a high fever, abdomen pains and aches in her arms and legs.

“They tested for malaria and dengue fever. After five days the medic noticed Aye Aye had a rash and it looked like she had advise us to take her to Mae Tao Clinic in Mae Sot.”

Khun Than Cho said her husband, U Myint Aung, stopped work immediately and took Aye Aye to Mae Tao Clinic.

“We had work, it was time to grow corn, but we were worried sick, we have four kids, but Aye Aye is our only daughter.”

May Soe, a senior medic and support manager at Mae Tao Clinic studies Aye Aye’s medical chart last night, and says

“Her temperature was dangerously high when she was admitted yesterday, but has now dropped from 38.3c to 36.2c – this is good.”

Despite May Soe’s reassurances the family are still worried about their daughter.

“We are relieved, but we still worry, we won’t leave until she is better. “

Both parents are also concerned that they will miss the chance to work on the corn planting and U Myint Aung says.

“We are daily laborers and rely on getting work on seasonal crops. Usually we earn around 120baht a day each – there are three of us – and we rely on the money.”

May Soe said the number of dengue cases the Clinic is seeing are increasing.

“Yesterday we had five patients and at the moment we are seeing at leat two or three everyday.”

U Myint Aung eyes betray his feelings and he wipes at his eyes and strokes his daughter’s thin arm.

“We thought she would die, she was vomiting, couldn’t open her eyes and didn’t want food. Yesterday was bad, today she has come good and has asked for food.”