Brazil snaps into action in response to dengue fever outbreak
Health authorities in Rio de Janeiro have been working to capture and identify infected mosquitoes as an outbreak of dengue fever hit several of Brazil's cities.
The rise in dengue cases across Brazil has caused several states to declare public health emergencies. Among them are Acre, Minas Gerais and Goias, the Federal District and the city of Rio de Janeiro.
Cases of type 3 virus (DENV-3), which had not been circulating in the country since 2002, began to be reported, prompting Rio de Janeiro's health department to begin a project of vacuuming the mosquitoes to identify the type of virus they are infected with.
Said Mário Sérgio Ribeiro, Under-secretary of the Rio de Janeiro State Health Department said the variant is expected to affect a large portion of the population.
Dengue is a viral infection transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes and is more common in tropical climates.
What is dengue fever? This mosquito-borne disease could become endemic as Europe and US heats up
Climate crisis, which leads to increased temperatures and high rainfall, is associated with a higher risk of dengue, the World Health Organization said in December.
Most people who get dengue don’t develop symptoms, but if they do, these can include high fever, headache, body aches, nausea and a rash.
While most get better after a week or so, some develop a severe form and require hospitalisation – and in such cases, dengue can be fatal.
In March 2023, Brazil approved a vaccine against dengue and became the first country in the world to offer one through the public health system, according to the health ministry.
More than 3 million people were due to receive a jab in 2024.