At least 62 people inside Peru have died from the virus so far this year dengue, the disease transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. The virus outbreak currently affects 20 regions of the country, out of a total of 25 Authorities have declared a state of emergency in the areas with the highest contamination.

Peru’s health minister, Rosa Gutiérrez, explained that the increase in dengue cases has mainly occurred in the country’s northern coast and jungle. The official assured that “technical and immediate actions are the state of emergency, which is expanding to 20 regions.”

This provision also includes a budget of 35 million soles to be transferred to regional authorities to intensify prevention work for 120 days.

According to the minister to date, 69,534 possible dengue cases and 62 deaths have been recorded in 16 regions of the countrywith a higher incidence in the northern regions of Tumbes and Piura, as well as the Amazon regions of Loreto and Ucayali.

Last year there were 63,168 cases of dengue with 86 deaths from the virus.

According to Gutiérrez, there is currently “no vaccine accredited by PAHO (Pan American Health Organization)” against dengue. Meanwhile, local media in Peru report that the medical centers receiving dengue patients are oversaturated.