Dengue, the new plague hitting Latin America

Violence, insecurity, corruption, drug trafficking, poverty, populism and, as if these were not enough, dengue fever. Like the biblical Egyptian plague, another one spread across the region with consequences that were alarming from start to finish. V Latin America.

At the moment, this is a huge outbreak that has spread from south to north, breaking records in four months and covering more than 6.6 million cases this year, compared to 4.6 million for all of 2023, worst ever up to now, according to PlatformProfile of America’s Health (PLISA).

The death toll confirms the seriousness of the situation.exceeding the 2023 figure this year: 2,639 compared to 2,418. No one is immune from contracting a disease that has been known for decades, but which has now led to the declaration of a global emergency. Pan American Health Organization has already warned: 500 million people in America are at risk of becoming infected.

Dengue is transmitted through infected mosquitoeswhat they call something that is feared in most of the region Mosquitoes Aedes aegyptiwhich also carry other viruses such as ZikaHe chikungunya And yellow fever. In most cases, this is very annoying, but only punishes the body with high fever, headache, skin rash, and muscle and joint pain.

Over the course of seven to eight days, while the process lasts, the patient sees his level of platelets in the blood decrease. The most extreme cases are called dengue hemorrhagic feverwhich force blood transfusions, and may cause death. In short, a painful blow to the liver, which in a small percentage leaves consequences on the patient’s body.

“Be careful with chikungunya, there are more bullets than acetaminophen (paracetamol),” reads graffiti on a Caracas wall in one of its popular neighborhoods gripped by violence a decade ago, to show the deadly mosquito is not new. But changing of the climate and a climatological phenomenon known as Boy deepened their effects starting from the Southern Cone.

Argentina’s well-known summer crisis was followed by neighboring countries, especially Brazil, where most cases and deaths are concentrated. Without a doubt, this is the worst dengue season in the history of the South American giant, which has already recorded 2,073 deaths (double the number in 2023), but with the aggravating factor of 2,291 suspicious deaths.

Government Lula da Silva argues that the crisis is under control after the end of summer because Heat and humidity encourage mosquito breeding.

IN PeruIn contrast, the dengue fever season is at its worst: Lime at the forefront of national concern. The calls from the government, which claims to have the situation under control, contrast with the opinions of experts. The Peruvian capital is already adding 55 dead; are 200 nationwide.

The situation forced the Peruvian ombudsman to take the lead in the crisis, given a complaint that beds allocated for dengue treatment were 100% full. “Unfortunately, politicians in our country see different realities. This happened during a pandemic and the Minister of Health is doing the same. There are no medicines in Lima, and hospitals are completely overcrowded.. This has already happened during the pandemic,” condemned Omar Neira, a public health expert.

“People are dying,” he warned. Colombia Tatiana Chavez, responsible for health in Casanara, the plains of the coffee-growing country, where they announced state of emergency. Also on the border with Venezuela Cases are multiplying.

The periodic rains that occur these days in the north of the south are an ideal scenario for the spread of mosquitoes, so the fight continues with small armies that are scattered everywhere. As almost always against this plague and when there is public discussion about benefits of vaccinesprevention is key.

This is what the mayor’s office knows. Cali, which these days has demonstrated its pride with an initiative that has spread throughout the world. “How good! We have become news in Spain thanks to the innovative method with which we fight dengue fever in Cali,” boasted Mayor Alejandro Eder.

This is a battalion from guppy fishonly five centimeters long, scattered in craters, abandoned swimming pools, tanks and decorative fountains. control larvae the dreaded white-legged mosquitoes.

He use of insecticides and repellents multiplies, with constant calls from doctors to do not self-medicate of those who were contemptuously called thrombologistsable to recommend popular recipes such as bell pepper with guava wave pigeon breast soup.

The distance from Cali is more than 5000 kilometers. Angelsit’s the same there are ways to fight dengue it’s already emerging from Central America (V Guatemala last week a national emergency was declared) regarding North American countries such as Mexico And USA.

California city launched pilot program release tens of thousands of sterile male mosquitoes created and sterilized in laboratories into the wild.

20,000 of these mosquitoes have already been released, and the plan is to breed them to a ratio of seven to ten for every wild male.