MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Paraguay admits defeat to dengue and declares national epidemics alert

Health minister Arbo: high degree of larvae infestation

The mosquito transmitted dengue disease can’t be eradicated, but only controlled at least this tropical summer admitted Paraguayan health officials after extending the national epidemics alert to the whole territory of the landlocked country.

“The high degree of larvae infestation and confirmed reports of new outbreaks of dengue to the north and east of the country has made the situation far more delicate and obliged us to extend the alert to the rest of the country”, admitted Health minister Antonio Arbo and Dr. Celia Martinez head of the of Sanitary Vigilance.

Dr. Martinez said Paraguay needs to have an office that centralizes environment education, exclusively to combat dengue, which in the rainy months of late spring and summer virtually explodes when millions of larvae nurture in stagnant water.

She added that on Friday the Paraguayan government is launching an awareness campaign among public employees at all levels “to ensure they get the message to clean their homes and gardens on Saturday and that they convince their neighbours to do likewise”.

“This is the only way, with public opinion cooperation and keeping the environment clean that we can effectively combat the dengue transmitter mosquito and avoid its proliferation”, underlined Dr. Martinez.

Last year dengue killed at least 70 people in Paraguay and so far in the first few days of January the disease has taken the life of a young 24-year old woman.