MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Dengue emergency in Brazil: 573 deaths so far this year says Health ministry
The mosquito Aedes aegypti spread the four strains of the virus At least 573 people have died from dengue in Brazil so far this year, nearly twice the figure reported in 2012, according to official figures released Wednesday. Last year, 292 deaths were recorded and 473 in 2011, according to the health ministry.
The highest death toll was in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais (116), followed by Sao Paulo state (72), Goias (58), Ceara in the northeast (54) and Rio de Janeiro state (48).
The total number of serious cases reported so far this year reached 6,566, leading authorities in 157 cities to declare a state of alert, including in Rio, Manaus, Salvador and Fortaleza, host cities for next year's World Cup. However authorities believe that the number of people infected with the disease could be over a million.
Brazil is frequently afflicted with the disease, which is caused by four strains of the virus that are spread by the mosquito Aedes aegypti.
Dengue affects between 50 and 100 million people in the tropics and subtropics each year, causing fever, muscle and joint ache as well as potentially fatal dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome.
There is no vaccine, which is why scientists are focusing so intensely on mosquito control.
But last month, Brazilian scientists began clinical tests on humans of a new vaccine against the four strains of the dengue virus.
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Read all comments“There is no vaccine, which is why scientists are focusing so intensely on mosquito control.”
Nov 21st, 2013 - 07:22 pm 0I am sure they are, but why aren't the local intendencias up to the mark? This is the third year now that I have seen this type of article, the scientists CANNOT do all the spraying, etc required for effective control.
“But last month, Brazilian scientists began clinical tests on humans of a new vaccine against the four strains of the dengue virus.”
EXCELLENT, let us all hope it works.
Chris , It aint that easy. It just needs one abandoned tyre half filled with stagnant water to propagate the mosquito
Nov 21st, 2013 - 09:20 pm 0Our authorities in ROU are doing the best they can
I even had the army round checking on my property last year to check on tyres, old half filled bottles of discarded water etc.
Thanks God our cities are dense. If we had sprawl, we'd have snakes, monkeys, mosquitoes all over the houses, alligators in the pool. Everything is tring to kill you in Brazil. In Europe old people die in summer and the most dangerous thing out there is some birds, flowers and rabbits. LOL
Nov 22nd, 2013 - 02:14 am 0Commenting for this story is now closed.
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