Mexico: Dengue fever outbreak continues nationwide

Event

Health officials in Mexico have reported 62,404 cases of dengue fever, including 9218 laboratory confirmed cases and 28 associated deaths, between January 1 and November 4. The most affected states include the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, as well as the southern half of Baja California. Authorities are continuing to implement public health measures, including fumigation campaigns aimed at eliminating mosquito breeding grounds, to hinder the further spread of the disease.

Context

Symptoms of dengue fever include fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, nausea, and rashes. DHF is characterized by high fever, the enlargement of the liver, and hemorrhaging.

Advice

Individuals in Mexico are advised to take measures to protect themselves from mosquito bites - e.g. by wearing covering clothing, using insect repellent, and sleeping under mosquito netting or in an air-conditioned room - and to eliminate possible mosquito breeding grounds (e.g. small pockets of fresh water, such as rainwater that has collected in cans, bottles, tires, flower pots, clogged gutters, etc.).