Argentina's medical facilities have been reporting an increasing number of patients with dengue-fever-like symptoms over the past few days as authorities say that over 120,000 positive cases and 79 deaths have been confirmed in the last eight months. Nevertheless, the government of President Javier Milei will not follow up on Brazil's model and no action will be taken for the State to afford a mandatory and free-of-charge vaccination campaign.
Uruguayan health authorities confirmed Monday the second case of autochthonous dengue in the country, it was reported in Montevideo.
Uruguay's Health Ministry confirmed Friday the first case of autochthonous dengue in the country. There are currently 32 confirmed cases of imported infections, according to Montevideo outlets. The last autochthonous case in Uruguay dates back to 2020 and only three detections were registered in the country in the past four years.
Brazil has recorded 1,017,278 probable cases of dengue and 214 confirmed deaths from the disease so far this year, Agencia Brasil reported Thursday. Another 687 fatalities are under investigation.
Peruvian authorities declared a state of health emergency in 20 of the country's 25 regions due to an outbreak of dengue fever. ”Tomorrow 20 regions of the country will be declared in sanitary emergency for a period of 90 days due to (the cases of) dengue,” Prime Minister Alberto Otárola announced. The state of health emergency allows the authorities to grant a larger budget to combat the disease, among other measures.
Argentine Presidential Spokesman Manuel Adorni Tuesday blamed the administration of Alberto Fernández (2019-2023) for “much of the problem” stemming from a spread of dengue fever in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area (AMBA). Adorni spoke of a “failure” in public policies under the previous government regarding the current mosquito invasion.
In Argentina, the City and Province of Buenos Aires are going through a peak of abundance of the Aedes albifasciatus mosquito, which has led specialists to recommend the citizenry to up all preventive measures and use repellents, mosquito nets, and wear long-sleeve clothing. These insects are said to be behind the spread of the Western Equine Encephalitis virus (WEE).
Health authorities in Brazil started Friday vaccinating children against dengue in six out the the ten State capitals chosen to start the South American Country's immunization program for which 712,000 doses were made available. The distribution of dengue vaccines to 315 municipalities began on February 8.
Nearly 10,000 children aged 10 to 11 have been vaccinated against dengue at 15 health centers in the last four days in Brazil's Federal District, Agência Brasil reported. In a statement, the Federal District Government (GDF) said that the 15 basic health units (UBS) will continue to operate throughout the carnival season.
Brazil's Health Minister Nísia Trindade Tuesday called on the population of South America's largest country to avoid the proliferation of breeding sites for the mosquito that transmits dengue fever as the number of cases of the malady is surging nationwide, Agencia Brasil reported.