BTN News: The current rainy season is leading to a big rise in dengue cases in Mexico and Central America. This prediction comes from Jorge Saavedra, the executive director of the Aids Healthcare Foundation’s Global Public Health Institute. Almost 11 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean have been infected with dengue in 2024. Most of these cases are in Brazil. This is the highest number of dengue cases ever recorded. We are facing an emergency because the number of cases is much higher than usual. The situation might be even worse because countries like Venezuela have not reported their cases. In South America, many countries are seeing high numbers of dengue. The mosquito that carries the virus, Aedes Aegypti, has spread to places that did not have dengue before, like Buenos Aires and southern Argentina.
In Mexico, the Directorate General of Epidemiology reports that by week 30 of the year, there have been 28,661 confirmed cases of dengue. This is almost four times more than the number of cases in the same period in 2023. Most cases are non-severe dengue, but many cases show warning signs or are severe. So far, 76 people have died from dengue in Mexico this year, compared to 13 deaths in the same period last year. The fatality rate is now 0.58%, higher than the 0.40% rate of last year.
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) reported on July 31 that there were 10,893,547 suspected cases of dengue in Latin America and the Caribbean. This is a 233% increase from last year and a 418% increase compared to the average of the last five years. Out of these cases, 5,738,156 were confirmed in labs, 13,832 were severe, and 5,940 people died from dengue. The fatality rate is 0.055%.
Jorge Saavedra says that vaccination is not the main way to fight dengue. Vaccines should be part of a larger prevention plan. This plan should include community actions like controlling mosquitoes by fumigation, using repellents, putting up mosquito nets, and getting rid of standing water where mosquitoes breed. There are two vaccines for dengue: Dengvaxia by Sanofi Pasteur and Qdenga by Takeda. Dengvaxia should only be used by people who have already had dengue. Both vaccines help prevent severe dengue and hospital stays.
The huge rise in dengue cases in Latin America and the Caribbean shows the need for better public health strategies and community involvement. Climate factors, poor mosquito control, and weak public health systems are causing the fast spread and increased severity of dengue outbreaks. Managing this problem needs more than just medical treatments. It also needs efforts to improve living conditions and public knowledge. By working together, we can reduce the impact of dengue and protect more people from this disease. The combination of different strategies is key to fighting dengue effectively and keeping our communities safe.
