The health secretary of Puerto Rico declared dengue as an epidemic after a surge in cases in the territory. It has reported atleast 549 cases of the mosquito-borne disease this year, compared with a total of 1,293 cases in the entire of 2023. Most of these cases have been reported in the capital of San Juan.
The health department of Puerto Rico has said that more than 340 people have been hospitalised for dengue. The U.S. territory last declared a dengue epidemic in 2012.
World Health Organisation (WHO) says that more than 5 million cases of dengue were reported from across the world last year. The Western Hemisphere this year has reported more than 3 million cases. This surge is due to the higher rainfall along with humidity and heat.
According to Fox Weather, Mellado López, head of the Puerto Rico Department of Health, said in a statement, “This year, dengue cases have exceeded historical figures. Teams have been working on the integrated plan for prevention and control in response to arboviruses, and we will expand the implemented response. “
Dengue is a viral illness that’s spread by mosquitoes. It is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito. When in the early stages, dengue doesn’t cause major health issues, however, if the condition becomes severe, it can also lead to death. Also known as dengue hemorrhagic fever, the severe stage causes serious bleeding and a sudden drop in blood pressure.
At this stage, your blood vessels tend to get damaged and you see a drop in your platelet count. “This can lead to shock, internal bleeding, organ failure and even death,” says Mayo Clinic. Symptoms of severe dengue fever includes the following.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there is a dengue vaccine is approved for use in children aged 9 to 16 years with laboratory-confirmed previous dengue virus infection. However, this is only applicable to people living in areas where dengue is common and not U.S. travellers.
Other ways of preventing dengue fever: