06 Apr 2019 | 12:26 PM UTC
Honduras: Dengue fever outbreak continues nationwide as of late March
Health officials report over 5000 cases of dengue fever nationwide as of late March; further spread of the disease likely over the coming weeks
Event
Health officials have recorded 5817 cases of dengue fever nationwide between January 1 and late March. Dengue cases in 2019 already exceed all cases throughout 2018. Further spread of the disease is likely to continue over the coming weeks.
Context
Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne disease found mostly in urban and semi-urban areas. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, nausea, and rash. Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) is a potentially deadly complication that is characterized by high fever, enlargement of the liver, and hemorrhaging.
Advice
Individuals present in Honduras are advised to take measures to protect themselves from mosquito bites (e.g. by wearing covering clothing, using insect repellent, and sleeping in a screened-in or air-conditioned room) and to eliminate possible mosquito breeding grounds on their properties (e.g. small pockets of fresh water, such as rainwater that has collected in cans, bottles, tires, flower pots, clogged gutters, etc.).
