2023-07-21 15:32:51
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended that Europe prepare for possible dengue outbreaks once the heat wave episodes have passed, since at that time ideal conditions may arise for the spread of the mosquito vector of this disease.
Image of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, transmitter of the dengue and chikungunya virus/EFE/Thais Llorca
In general, the jump of dengue to areas where this disease was previously non-existent or rare, such as in Europe, is related to climate change and both rainy and dry episodes are favorable for its expansion, said the head of the WHO Tropical Disease Control Program, Raman Velayudhan.
The organization recommended to governments the importance of developing action plans for rapid detection and monitoring of symptoms among the population.
Although in a first infection up to 80% of cases may be asymptomatic, if the same person is bitten a second time by a mosquito that transmits another variant of the virus (there are four) they may present severe symptoms and require medical treatment.
According to Velayudhan, the current risk of reproduction of the Aedes species mosquito is low in areas where it exceeds 40 degrees, since it is naturally active and bites during the day, but if it flies at such temperatures it dies.
Both droughts and intense rains are propitious situations for the mosquito. In the first case, families usually store water in tanks, drums or other containers to cover their needs, while in the second, the water pools, stagnant water being the places where the mosquito breeds.
“Communities can help by exploring their homes and cleaning up standing water to ensure that mosquitoes are not breeding in and around their homes,” the expert said.
An official from the National Malaria Prevention Service (Senepa), dependent on the Ministry of Health of Paraguay fumigating. EFE/Santi Carneri
Dengue in America
In addition to Europe, on July 19, the OMS He asked the governments of the American countries “to be extremely alert and prepared” to intensify actions aimed at controlling the spread of dengue, since “an increase in cases can be expected in the second half of 2023.”
The organization recommended as a general precautionary measure the use of repellent to avoid the bite of the mosquito that transmits the virus, after remembering that the greatest risk is during the day and at the beginning of the night.
The number of people infected since the beginning of the year has exceeded the barrier of three million on the continent (cases reported until July 1), a figure that exceeds that of all of 2022 (2.8 million cases) and that is close to the record of 3.1 million registered in 2019.
Brazil, Peru and Bolivia are, in this order, the countries with the most cases in general, but if severe dengue cases are considered -which can lead to death- Colombia is in third place.
Since the beginning of 2023, there have been 1,302 deaths from this infectious disease in the Americas, reflecting a mortality rate of 0.04%.
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