Raising the level of attention on DengueSince the trend of the infection in 2024 is record-breaking. This is the message sent by US health officials to doctors, after the maximum number of cases historically reported in a year has already been exceeded in the Americas region in 6 months, as highlighted by the latest epidemiological update from Paho (Pan American Health Organization ), the regional ‘arm’ of the World Health Organization (WHO).
“The global incidence of Dengue in 2024 was the highest ever recorded for this calendar year,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlighted in an advisory, reports ‘CBS news’ online. The US agency recalls that so far in 2024, countries in the Americas have reported more than 9.7 million cases, double the 4.6 million cases reported in all of 2023.
The virus, which spreads through mosquitoes, is on the rise around the world, aided by climate change. So much so that, for example, Puerto Rico declared a state of public health emergency in March. Dengue remains less common in the continental United States, but in the 50 states so far this year there have been 3 times more cases than during the same period last year. Most were infections that travelers contracted abroad, and officials note there is no evidence of an ongoing outbreak. But they also warn that local mosquitoes pose a threat.
Recommendations to doctors
The CDC recommended that doctors be aware of symptoms, ask questions about where patients have recently traveled, and consider ordering dengue testing when appropriate. Globally, more than 6.6 million infections were reported from around 80 countries last year. According to the WHO, 7.9 million cases and 4 thousand deaths were reported in the first 4 months of this year. The burden of the virus has been particularly intense in the Americas, including Brazil and Peru.
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