Argentina: Dengue outbreak ongoing as of late March

Event

A dengue fever outbreak is ongoing in Argentina as of Wednesday, March 25. The Ministry of Health has confirmed at least 7862 cases of dengue fever across 16 provinces, including seven associated fatalities as well as more than 26,000 suspected cases of the disease. According to authorities, the ongoing outbreak is the largest recorded since the last peak in 2015 and 2016. Additionally, testing and reporting on the number of dengue fever cases could be hampered due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The most affected communes are Flores, Parque Chacbauco, Villa Soldati, Villa Lugano, Villa Riachuelo, La Boca, Parque Patricios , Barracas and Nueva Pompeya.

Further spread of the outbreak is likely 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.).