Latin America & The Caribbean Weekly Situation Update (As of 11 September 2023) – Bolivia (Plurinational State of)

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Attachments

REGIONAL: DENGUE

KEY FIGURES

3.4M CASES OF DENGUE RECORDED ACROSS THE REGION SO FAR IN 2023

Dengue cases continue to rise across Latin America and the Caribbean, with at least 3,407,921 cases recorded so far. This is more than was recorded in the entirety of 2019, the year with the highest number of incidences on record (3,181,171). Cases have been particularly high in Central America, Peru, Brazil and Bolivia, fueled by warm, dry conditions and widespread flooding. PAHO estimates that these figures will continue to increase in 2023, given that the seasonal pattern of dengue implies greater transmission during the second half of the year in Central America and the Caribbean. El Niño conditions may also exacerbate the risk of transmission, with drier and warmer conditions in some areas and increased risk of flooding in others.

Guatemala has been the latest country in the region to declare an alert due to increasing dengue cases. The Ministry of Health has recorded 14,299 cases of dengue so far this year (as of 26 August 2023), a 178 per cent increase compared to the same period last year (5,150 cases). Of these cases, 85 per cent (12,215) were without warning signs and 14 per cent (2,010) with warning signs. There have been 28 confirmed deaths. Zacapa continues to be the most affected department, followed by Chiquimula, Petén Sur Oriental, Escuintla, Quetzaltenango, Baja Verapaz and Petén Norte. Health authorities are on institutional alert, coordinating with other authorities and ministries to carry out preventative measures.

BRAZIL: SEVERE WEATHER

KEY FIGURES

340K PEOPLE AFFECTED BY EL NIÑO-INDUCED WEATHER IN SOUTHERN BRAZIL

Intense weather is causing casualties and damage across southern Brazil. Since 4 September, an extratropical cyclone, bringing heavy rainfall, strong winds and hailstorms, has been severely affecting the states of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul. According to the latest assessment from the Civil Defence in Rio Grande do Sul, the severe weather has affected at least 340,928 people across 93 municipalities, leaving 46 people dead, 46 people missing and 924 injured. Some 3,130 people have been rescued, while 20,498 residents have been displaced and a further 4,794 have been left homeless. In certain areas, river levels have surged to 17 metres above average, obstructing access from the capital city of Porto Alegre and the state's northern regions. This has complicated both the delivery of aid and the assessment of damages. In the state of Rio Grande do Sul, millions have been exposed to the impact of the cyclone and thousands directly impacted with damages to their homes. Entire communities are isolated and people have been waiting to be rescued. Both states are currently responding with their own resources and capacities. While the volumes of rain that have occurred in the first days of September have already exceeded the historical average in most parts of Rio Grande do Sul, the state’s Civil Defence and Secretariat of the Environment and Infrastructure (SEMA) have warned of continued severe weather from Monday 11 September through Friday 15 September. Meteorologists explain that the conditions of El Niño are influencing normal meteorological systems, bringing cold fronts, low pressure and extratropical cyclones that lead to greater frequency and intensity of rainfall.

BOLIVIA: EL NIÑO

KEY FIGURES

83% OF BOLIVIA’S MUNICIPALITIES HAVE DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY OR DISASTER DUE TO ONGOING DROUGHT AND FOREST FIRES

In Bolivia, climate conditions being described as a Super El Niño are exacerbating normal impacts of the dry season, bringing drought and forest fires. According to the Vice-Ministry of Civil Defence (VIDECI), 83 per cent (290) of the country's municipalities in eight of the nine departments have declared a state of emergency or disaster. The phenomenon has hit the country's highlands in the western and southwestern areas the hardest. Potosí (population of 270,000) is already feeling the impact and will soon begin rationing water distribution, with reserves at only 20 per cent. Decreased water levels in the great lakes Titicaca and Poopó, the latter of which has nearly dried up completely, are having negative effects in rural areas, particularly in the agriculture and fishing sectors. The National Naval Hydrography Service (SNHN) claims that there is a high probability that Lake Titicaca will reach 64 centimetres below the drought alert level by December, breaking the low water record set in 1998 by 33 centimetres. Other cities, such as the country's capital, Sucre, as well as Tarija, Oruro, El Alto, La Paz, Cochabamba Sacaba and Quillacollo, among other smaller cities (approximately 4 million inhabitants), are also at risk. With three months to go before the rainy season arrives, the drought could also extend to the south and southeast Chaco and Chiquitania regions. Currently, the government's primary focus is forest fires, which are spreading quickly due to the acute drought. However, the humanitarian and productive impact is still minimal thus far.

Disclaimer

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.

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Source link : https://reliefweb.int/report/bolivia-plurinational-state/latin-america-caribbean-weekly-situation-update-11-september-2023 Author : Publish date : 2023-09-11 03:00:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source .