HANOI, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam has detected 78 fatalities due to dengue fever since the beginning of this year, increasing over 55 percent compare with the same period of last year, local newspaper Vietnam Agriculture reported Wednesday.

    In the period, the number of dengue fever cases stood at 90,749,a year-on-year rise of 50 percent. Most of the cases have been found in the southern Mekong Delta region, whose weather conditions and local people's habit of storing water in containers at their houses favor the breeding of mosquitoes, the disease's transmitter.

    The disease may break out in the flood-hit central region in the coming time, the Preventive Medicine Department under the Vietnamese Health Ministry said, noting that local agencies and people should take preventive measures, isolate outbreaks, and keep environmental hygiene.

    In 2006, Vietnam reported over 77,800 cases of dengue fever infections, including 68 fatalities. Up to 84 percent of the infections and 91 percent of the deaths were found in the southern region.