Concerns Raised as Dengue Spreads in the Americas at Record-Setting Pace

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Concerns among health officials have continued the spread of dengue fever as cases have reached unprecedented levels in the Americas.

According to officials, there have been 12.6 million suspected cases of dengue this year, which is nearly triple the figures from 2023.

What Are Health Officials Saying? The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the regional office of the World Health Organization in the Americas, attributes the spike in dengue fever cases to climate-related changes, including rising temperatures and erratic weather patterns, which are expanding mosquito habitats.

"This is linked directly to climatic events," PAHO director Jarbas Barbosa said, referencing warmer temperatures, droughts and flooding.

Jenny Chiroque sits on a bed with netting at La Merced Hospital where she is treated for dengue in Paita, Peru on February 29, 2024. Concerns over dengue fever continue as cases reach unprecedented levels... Jenny Chiroque sits on a bed with netting at La Merced Hospital where she is treated for dengue in Paita, Peru on February 29, 2024. Concerns over dengue fever continue as cases reach unprecedented levels in the Americas. More Martin Mejia/AP Barbosa added that a fast population growth, unplanned urbanization and poor sanitation have also contributed to the rise in dengue.

Deaths have also risen sharply with over 7,700 fatalities recorded in 2024, marking a more than 200 percent increase from last year's 2,467, according to PAHO, while the virus spread to areas previously free of dengue.

This makes the current outbreak the deadliest and most widespread since records began in 1980, Barbosa confirmed in a recent briefing.

Dengue by the Numbers

While dengue virus has four distinct strains, having one type of virus doesn't provide immunity from others.

This year's crisis is compounded by the resurgence of dengue serotype 3 in parts of Central America and the Caribbean, a strain not widely seen in over a decade, according to Thais dos Santos, PAHO's adviser on arboviral diseases.

Brazil is reporting the highest number of dengue cases with more than 10 million, followed by Argentina, with more than 580,000, and Mexico with more than half a million.

In the Caribbean, Guyana is leading with more than 41,000 cases, followed by French Guiana, the Dominican Republic and Martinique.

In addition, local dengue transmission has also been reported in California, Florida and Texas this year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Meanwhile, Puerto Rico has already declared an epidemic in late March with over 4,900 cases and at least nine deaths reported. Officials attribute the crisis to heavy rains and stagnant water, ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes and warned last month that it cannot be controlled unless residents cooperate.

Residents like University of Puerto Rico professor Lydia Platón, who contracted dengue in October, describe debilitating symptoms and slow recovery periods.

"You have fever all the time. You have horrible chills," she said, according to The Associated Press (AP). "I don't feel that my energy has returned yet."

While many cases remain mild with some experiencing headache, fever and flu-like symptoms, severe infections can result in internal bleeding, shock or death and repeated infections can be especially dangerous.

Combating the Crisis Governments are doubling down on prevention. Trinidad and Tobago now fines residents for mosquito breeding sites, while Puerto Rican officials urge communities to eliminate stagnant water.

In addition, dengue vaccines, introduced in countries like Peru, Brazil and Argentina, offer hope but also face limitations as they're meant mostly for children and are most effective in those already infected with dengue once. As a result, these vaccines are not expected to significantly curtail transmission, dos Santos said.

With supplies limited, dos Santos stressed that preventive measures remain crucial.

"If there are no mosquitoes, there's no dengue," dos Santos told the AP.

This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.

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