Applying Google Map API in identifying a dengue hemorrhagic fever outbreak at An Phu district, An Giang province

Abstract

There are limitations of the current definition of a dengue outbreak focus by the National program for dengue control (Project) at southern Vietnam with criteria within a hamlet. This study was conducted to compared the different outcomes in identifying a dengue outbreak focus using the Google Map API (GMA) method and the definition of the Project method on 729 dengue cases in 2017 - 2018 in An Phu district, An Giang province. The results showed that there were 166 outbreaks reported by the Project but only 150 by definition using GMA. All the foci under the Project definition were in a single hamlet, but there were 8 (5%) foci under the GMA positioning having the size of two hamlets. All the foci under the GMA positioning had the distance between two cases not more than 200 meters, but 53 (32%) foci under the Project definition had the corresponding distance more than 200 meters. The number of foci under the third criteria of the Project at southern Vietnam were higher than that of the GMA positioning method. There was a statistical significant difference between the two methods in using a case for grouping into a focus (p = 0.01). The Project should apply digital map technology for measuring distance, and the cheap and user-friendly GMA on smartphone is a good choice.