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28 Jul 2019 | 03:37 AM UTC

Honduras: Nationwide dengue epidemic intensifies /update 3

Dengue epidemic worsens, hospitals are incapable of managing response; take precautionary measures

Informational

Event

An estimated 28,000 cases of dengue have been recorded in Honduras as of late July, further exacerbating the health crisis in the country, with a total of 54 deaths. Representatives of the Santa Barbara health region declared a maximum red alert in the area on Monday, July 22, due to the ongoing epidemic of dengue fever that has left 16 dead in Santa Barbara alone. Health officials declared that 26 of the 35 hospitals in the country have collapsed due to the number of patients and demands for services due to the virus. Further spread of the disease is expected in the coming months.

A state of emergency was declared in Honduras on Thursday, July 2, at which point 15,000 cases were reported. 

Hospital and clinic services are likely to be significantly reduced and long wait times should be expected. 

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.).