PAHO warns about significant increase in dengue cases

WASHINGTON, Jun 24, CMC – The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is warning Caribbean countries to do more to deal with mosquito-borne diseases during the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic after indicating that more than 1.6 million cases of dengue have been reported in the Americas in the first five months of this year.

“While social distancing measures are in place, households should be encouraged to work together in and around their homes to get rid of stagnant water, reduce and dispose of solid waste, and to ensure proper covering of all water storage containers. These measures can be done as a family activity,” PAHO said in an epidemiological update on dengue and other

It said in addition to the 1.6 million dengue cases, there were also 37,279 chikungunya cases and 7,452 Zika cases reported.

PAHO said the numbers so far in 2020 show a 10 per cent relative decrease compared to the same period in 2019, which was an epidemic year.

PAHO’s figures show that 580 people have died from dengue so far in 2020.

It said most cases of dengue in the Americas were from Brazil with 1,040,481 cases, with high dengue incidence rates also reported in Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua and fewer numbers in other Central American and Caribbean countries.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is placing immense pressure on healthcare and management systems worldwide.

Notwithstanding the impact of COVID-19, there is a crucial need to sustain efforts to address dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases using the Integrated Management Strategy to prevent and control them. This strategy covers management, epidemiology, patient care, laboratory, integrated vector management, and environment,” PAHO said.

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