Brazil: Over 229,000 dengue fever cases recorded as of mid-March /update 2

Event

According to the most recent statistics released by the Brazilian Ministry of Health, a total of 229,064 cases of dengue were reported nationwide from January 1 to March 16, including at least 62 fatalities. Half of all fatalities were registered in São Paulo. Overall, the case numbers through March 16 represent a roughly 224 percent increase relative to the corresponding time period in 2018. Further spread of the disease is to be expected over the coming weeks.

Context

Symptoms of dengue fever include fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, nausea, and rashes. Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) is a potentially deadly complication that is characterized by high fever, the enlargement of the liver, and hemorrhaging.

Advice

Individuals present in Brazil - in particular, pregnant women and their partners - are advised to take measures to protect themselves from mosquito bites (e.g. by wearing covering clothing, using insect repellent, and sleeping in screened-in or air-conditioned rooms) 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.).