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Brazil's dengue outbreak: 512,000 cases, 425 deaths. Could it spread to US?
Brazil Dengue Outbreak: Health officials said that the first warning about a possible epidemic came in September.
As state public health workers are looking for standing waters where mosquitoes could be, Brazil stand still amid nationwide efforts to stem the surge of denge fever in the country during its key tourist season in February. Earlier in the month, Rio kicked of its world-famous Carnival festivities, while the city and several states declared a public health epidemic of dengue.
Head of health surveillance at Brazil's Health Ministry Ethel Maciel told Associated Press, “We had more cases in January than any other January" as the country recorded 512,000 cases nationwide, including both confirmed and likely cases. This is nearly four times more than those registered in the same period a year ago, data showed. Additionally, there have been 425 dengue-related deaths so far this year compared with just over 1,000 for all of 2023.
What is dengue and how does it spread?
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Dengue is a viral infection transmitted to humans through infected mosquitoes. Frequent rains and high temperatures can accelerate hatching of mosquito eggs and. Those infected can suffer from high fever, headache, body aches, nausea and a rash, according to the World Health Organization. Some can also develop a severe form of dengue which requires hospitalization and can be fatal.
What have Brazil's health authorities said?
Ethel Maciel said that the first warning about a possible epidemic came in September when Brazil's leading research institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, said that Brazil could have as many as 4.2 million cases this year. The surge may be due to excessive heat and intense rain, both owing to either climate change or El Niño.
At this time, there is a circulation of four dengue virus serotypes in the country, of which authorities had not seen in 15 years, the official said.
When will the outbreak peak and will it affect the US?
It's not clear if the cases have reached a peak, the health official said. We don't know if the cases “are going to start going down, or if the worst-case scenario is indeed happening,” Ethel Maciel said.
