According to the authorities, the country is facing a dengue epidemic this year, as a result of the rains, and already has 16,289 cases of the disease, mainly in Manabí and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas. The government has already recorded 16 deaths from severe dengue at the national level, which is the same number of deaths from this cause in the whole of 2022.

According to the Pan American Health Organization, dengue is transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito. It is a disease that affects people of all ages, and symptoms vary from mild to disabling fever, accompanied by severe headache, eye pain, muscle and joint pain, and erythema. It is vital to undertake vector prevention and control measures with local authorities and the population, which includes clearing properties and removing mosquito breeding sites.

“An eggshell filled with water can produce at least 1,000 mosquitoes,” said Francisco Pérez, undersecretary for health surveillance, prevention and control at the Ministry of Health (MSP).

An increase in rainfall in the coastal area could worsen the situation, which is important to consider given the proximity of the new El Niño phenomenon, which may arrive with moderate to strong intensity.

We can add to this disease for decades that recently medical centers in Guayaquil reported an increase in patients with respiratory problems, while in the country there are already, according to the MSP, cases of the variant of COVID-19 EG.5 from omicron, which can be confused with other respiratory diseases that occur at this time of year.

It would be wise for health authorities (at national and local levels) to be more than aware of the evolution of these diseases and take the necessary actions to prevent cases from continuing to multiply. In the same way, the right response from citizens can help prevent the spread. (OR)