Lao Ministry of Health recorded 428 cases of dengue fever so far, while 1,081 cases were reported in the same period last year, local daily reported on Wednesday.

The number of cases had declined because of government efforts to suppress the spread of the virus and greater public awareness about ways to prevent mosquito bites, according to the report.

Lao health authorities continue to encourage people to clear potential mosquito breeding sites around their homes and workplaces to help curb the spread of dengue. These activities are focused on long-term prevention and are vital to combating the disease, the Xinhua news agency reported.

In particular, communities should keep their surroundings clean while doing everything possible to get rid of mosquitoes and their larvae. Authorities have been raising public awareness about this issue as one of the main strategies to lower dengue transmission.