Dengue cases in RJ, DF and PR triple in the 1st week of 2024

The registration of dengue cases tripled in Paraná, the Federal District and Rio de Janeiro in the 1st epidemiological week of the year (31.Dec.2023 to 6.Jan.2024), compared to the same period last year.

Paraná showed the most significant increase. In 2023, there were 407 registrations in the period. This year, there were 1,941 occurrences. According to State Health Department, the number of cases by the end of the 2nd week of the month could exceed 9,000. A death is investigated.

In the sum of cases in Brazil, there was no increase compared to 2023. The estimate is that 3 million cases of the disease will be registered in the country by the end of 2024. The data are from Ministry of Health and can be accessed in this link.

In the Federal District, the Ministry of Health bulletin shows 1,940 cases as of January 6th. According to the most recent data from District Health Departmentuntil Thursday (11.jan.24), there were 2,054 records.

The increase is 203% compared to last year. The deputy governor, Celina Leão (PP-DF), stated that there was an epidemic on Friday (12.jan) during a visit to the Taguatinga Regional Hospital. Two deaths due to the virus are being investigated.

The situation is similar in Rio de Janeiro. A State Health Department consider declare dengue epidemic. The record in the 1st week of January was 861 cases. In 2023, in the same period, there were 266 occurrences.

According to the area secretary in Rio de Janeiro, Claudia Melo, “the disease spread rates are much higher than expected for this time of year and growing more rapidlyThe”.

In the south of the country, in addition to Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina also showed an increase. The State of Rio Grande do Sul, which registered 11 cases in 2023, now registers 145. In Santa Catarina, records went from 145 to 686 in the 1st week of the year.

O Aedes aegypti, the mosquito that transmits dengue fever, proliferates in hot and humid climates, being more common in the North and Northeast of the country. However, according to infectologist Antônio Bandeira, director of SBI (Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases) and specialist for Fiocruz (Oswaldo Cruz Foundation), there is a new epidemic scenario in cities where records used to be infrequent.

“Dengue has spread to states we never imagined. The mosquito settled in a kind of corridor between the Center-West and the South. These are states that had never had dengue outbreaks, with a population that was virgin to the disease.”, says Bandeira.

ALERT STATE

Paraná, Rio de Janeiro, Distrito Federal, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul are against the total number of cases in Brazil. The number of registrations fell in most Brazilian states in the first epidemiological week of January. There were 12,643 cases across Brazil in the same period in 2023. This year, there were 10,329 records.

There is, however, no optimism regarding the fight against the disease. The scenario in the 5 states where there was growth is considered an indication of how dengue will evolve throughout the year.

The average proliferation scenario made by InfoDengue, from Fiocruz, is 3 million cases. In the worst case scenario, it could reach 5 million cases by the end of the year. In 2023, there were 1.6 million records.

“Dengue has become an even bigger public health problem in 2023. We see other countries that had bigger dilemmas with dengue, like India, that are controlling it and we still have to combat it.o”, says Antônio Bandeira about the situation in Brazil. Last year was marked by a record number of deaths from the disease.

For the infectologist, there is still no long-term public policy to treat dengue. “There is an asymmetry of action and the interruption of measures throughout different administrations. There is also a need for a large-scale project that combines environmental sanitation, urbanization, strengthening public health, in addition to raising people's awareness”, he declares.

VACCINE

Starting in February, the dengue vaccine will be distributed by the SUS (Unified Health System). The measure, announced in December by the federal government, is considered an advance in the fight against the disease. Brazil is the first country in the world to offer the vaccine in the public health system.

Initially, the vaccine will be applied in priority regions. The manufacturer, Takeda, stated that it has a restricted capacity to supply doses.

COPING

The Rio de Janeiro Health Department declared that it has reinforced training activities in dengue management for doctors and nurses in the municipalities. The Federal District Secretariat stated that it has also expanded the fight against dengue. According to the agency, around 800 professionals from 15 Environmental Surveillance centers visit properties in search of Aedes aegypti.

Searched for by Power360 to comment on the scenario, the secretariats of Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina did not respond until the publication of this report. The space remains open.

The period of greatest dengue transmission tends to be in the rainiest months of the year, generally from November to May. The accumulation of stagnant water contributes to the proliferation of mosquitoes and further spread of the disease.

The main symptoms are considered:

• intense and continuous abdominal pain;
• persistent vomiting;
• accumulation of liquids;
• lethargy and/or irritability, and;
• mucosal bleeding;

Mosquito infestation is reduced by eliminating breeding sites. Reservoirs and any places where water can accumulate must always be completely covered, preventing mosquitoes from laying eggs. Aedes aegypti.

Protection against bites is necessary mainly throughout the day, as mosquitoes bite mainly during the morning.