The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) warned on Thursday that Latin America and the Caribbean should expect the worst dengue season on record, with the epidemic fueled by global warming and the El Niño weather phenomenon. In less than three months in 2024, health authorities in the region have already recorded more than 3.5 million cases and 1,000 deaths due to this virus, which is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito.
“This is a cause for concern because it represents three times as many cases as were reported on the same date in 2023, a record year with more than 4.5 million cases.”This was confirmed at a press conference by Jarbas Barbosa, Director of the Pan American Health Organization, the regional branch of the World Health Organization. It will be 2024 “Perhaps the worst dengue season ever recorded in America.”he added.
Dengue fever is a viral disease that causes high fever, and in rare cases it develops into a more serious form that causes bleeding. Deaths are very rare – about 0.01% of all cases. The virus is widespread in hot countries, occurs mainly in urban and peri-urban areas and causes between 100 and 400 million infections annually, according to the World Health Organization. The increase in the number of infections was observed in all countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, but especially in three countries in the Southern Cone: Brazil (81%), followed by Paraguay (6%) and Argentina (3.4%). Which represents 92% of the total cases and 87% of the deaths.
