Dengue cases are on the rise in the Americas, with reported cases reaching 5.2 million this week, surpassing the annual record set in 2023, according to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
The PAHO spokesperson, Ashley Baldwin, told CNN on Thursday (19) that 5,214,480 dengue cases had been reported in the Americas as of Wednesday (18). For the entire year of 2023, the total number of reported cases in the region was 4,572,765.
“We are in an emergency due to dengue,” said PAHO Director Jarbas Barbosa at a press conference on Thursday.
Countries in the southern hemisphere have been the most affected so far, with Brazil accounting for the majority of cases. In February, Rio de Janeiro declared a public health emergency amid a surge in cases.
In Peru, 20 of the country’s 25 regions are under health alert due to the epidemic, which has exceeded 134,000 cases, the government said this week.
The situation appears to have stabilized in recent weeks in some hotspots in South America, but PAHO warned that other countries in the region, including those in the northern hemisphere, should prepare for the arrival of spring and warmer temperatures.
“Most cases in the southern hemisphere occur in the first half of the year, and most cases in the northern hemisphere occur in the second half of the year,” Baldwin said. “So far this year, we have seen a peak of cases in the South and now expect an increase in cases in the North.”
The rise in dengue can be attributed to several factors, PAHO states, including rising temperatures, extreme weather phenomena, rapid population growth, and inadequate water and sanitation services, which can create mosquito breeding grounds.
So far in 2024, the Americas have reported 1,858 deaths from the disease, fewer than last year’s total of 2,418.
A vaccine for dengue is available and may play a role in reducing severe cases and deaths, Barbosa said, but warned that it cannot immediately stop outbreaks.
To try to control the outbreak, PAHO recommends implementing a strategy focused on surveillance, controlling the mosquito vector that transmits the virus, and clinical management, Baldwin said.
“Although there is currently no specific treatment for dengue (at any clinical stage), most cases are mild. Early detection and access to proper medical care will reduce the likelihood of death from severe dengue,” Baldwin added.
Dengue is a virus transmitted by mosquitoes that spreads mainly through the Aedes aegypti mosquito, also known for transmitting several other viruses, such as yellow fever, chikungunya, and Zika, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It causes flu-like symptoms and can lead to death in extreme cases.
The virus is endemic in more than 100 countries in tropical and subtropical climates, primarily in urban and semi-urban areas, according to the World Health Organization. It is also endemic in the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa.
Source: CNN