Honduras: Dengue fever outbreak continues nationwide /update 1

Event

According to health officials in Honduras, at least 6442 cases of dengue fever, including 594 severe cases and three associated deaths, have been reported nationwide between January 1 and early November. The most affected area is Cortés department. Public health measures, including fumigation campaigns aimed at eliminating mosquito breeding grounds, are anticipated in the coming days and weeks.

Context

The risk of dengue in Honduras is present year-round, with peak transmission from October to February, during the rainy season. 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 in Honduras 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.).