The World Health Organization (WHO)) today asked the governments of the American countries “be extremely alert and prepared” to intensify actions aimed at controlling the expansion of the denguesince it can be foreseen “an increase in cases in the second half of 2023.”
The organization recommended as a general precautionary measure the use of repellent to avoid the bite of the mosquito that transmits the virus, after remembering that the greatest risk is during the day and at the beginning of the night.
The number of people infected since the beginning of the year has exceeded the barrier of three million on the continent (cases reported until July 1), a figure that exceeds that of all of 2022 (2.8 million cases) and that is close to the record of 3.1 million registered in 2019.
Brazil, Peru and Bolivia are, in this order, the countries with the most cases in general, but if severe dengue cases are considered -which can lead to death- Colombia is in third place.
According to an epidemiological report published today by the WHO in Geneva, between June 12 and July 1, a decrease in cases was observed in the subregions of the Southern Cone and the Andean countries, which is attributed to the application of control measures and changes in temperature and climate.
However, the WHO maintained that it is known that there is a delay in the notification of cases from the countries of Central America and the Caribbean.
Of the total cases of dengue reported in the Americas, 45% correspond to laboratory confirmed cases and 0.13% have been classified as severe dengue.
Since the beginning of 2023, there have been 1,302 deaths from this infectious disease in the Americas, reflecting a mortality rate of 0.04%.
The WHO said that countries should focus their efforts to prevent deaths on early detection of cases, diagnosis and control of the virus, which requires training health personnel to be able to quickly identify cases and possible complications.
Source: EFE
Source: Gestion
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