Dengue Fever risk in Phnom Penh

Dengue Fever is a mosquito-borne viral infection that causes high fever, severe headache, joint pain, rash, and in serious cases, bleeding and organ damage. There is no specific medicine to cure it, so prevention is your best defense.

Your risk score in Phnom Penh: 67/100 — this means moderate to high risk, especially during the rainy season (roughly May through November) when mosquito populations surge.

Specific local risk factors in Phnom Penh: The city has dense neighborhoods with open water storage containers, construction sites collecting stagnant water, and tropical heat creating ideal breeding grounds for Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that bite primarily during early morning and late afternoon. These mosquitoes breed in small water collections common throughout the city.

YOUR PREVENTION STEPS

1. Eliminate standing water around your home daily. Empty, scrub, or cover any container that can hold water — flower pot saucers, buckets, old tires, water storage jars, and drainage trays. This single step cuts your risk the most.

2. Use mosquito repellent containing DEET or picaridin on exposed skin during morning and evening hours when these mosquitoes are most active. Reapply as directed.

3. Wear long sleeves and long pants during dawn and dusk, especially if working or commuting during peak hours near construction sites or in areas with poor drainage.

4. Use bed nets or window screens, particularly for children and elderly family members who spend daytime hours resting indoors.

5. Seek immediate medical attention if you develop sudden high fever with severe headache or joint pain — do not self-medicate with aspirin or ibuprofen, which can worsen bleeding risk.

Phnom Penh's urban environment makes vigilance essential year-round, with heightened alertness during wet months.