MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chikungunya kills 90 people in Paraguay so far this year

Sequera also explained that chikungunya was on the rise in the provinces but decreasing in Asuncion and in the Central department

Paraguayan health authorities last week confirmed at least 90 deaths this year had been caused by chikungunya fever, while Uruguay detected its first imported case of the malady. One more case was also confirmed in the last days of 2022, according to the latest report from Paraguay's Health Ministry released on Friday.

The document also showed 21 new deaths in the last two epidemiological weeks, with no data collected during the Ester Week holidays.

Most casualties were people over 60 years old and children under one year of age. A total of 198 patients have been hospitalized for this disease, 25 of whom are in intensive care, it was also reported.

The ministry's report also mentioned that a total of 10,057 new cases of chikungunya were registered, in addition to 486 cases of dengue and none of zika.

Health Surveillance Director Guillermo Sequera explained that there appears to be a slight decrease in chikungunya cases, although it was still necessary to wait until next week to see what happened after most people traveled throughout the country due to the Easter Week recess.

Sequera also explained that chikungunya was on the rise in the provinces but decreasing in Asuncion and in the Central department, although these two regions continue to account for 47% of the total cases nationwide.

The official called the population not to relax the prevention measures and to continue with the elimination of mosquito breeding sites. The aedes aegypti mosquito that transmits chikungunya and dengue.

Meanwhile, Uruguay's Departmental Directorate of Health reported one case of chikungunya in Salto. The patient is a child with a travel history.

“The protocol of blocking the defined area was activated through the following actions: active search for other suspected febrile cases, elimination of possible breeding sites of the aedes aegypti mosquito, placement of BG traps to capture mosquitoes, application of insecticide with UBV trawling machine,” the Directorate said in a statement while insisting on the need to keep taking precautions, including the use of mosquito repellents.

In February, the Departmental Health Directorate of Canelones reported two imported cases of chikungunya in that department, also from people who had been abroad.