Dengue still tends to spread in the country, Health Minister says

Health Minister Arthur Chioro has again called on the population to cooperate with prevention and control efforts against the Aedes aegypti mosquito that transmits the dengue fever. According to the minister, the number of cases of the disease still tends to rise in the country.

“Some 745,000 cases had been reported as of April 18th, and we know that this number is increasing because new reports keep coming in. Brazil is facing an epidemic concentrated in nine states,” he said, referring to the states where more than 300 cases have been reported per 100,000 population group.

According to Chioro, the outbreak is slowing down in the states of Amazonas and Espírito Santo, as well as the Federal District. On Monday (May 25), the state government of São Paulo also reported that the number of dengue cases in the state fell in May compared to April. As of May 22, 3,510 cases had been confirmed, equivalent to a daily average of 159.5 cases. In April, there were 59,128 cases, an average 1,970 a day.

The peak of the disease in the state was in March, when 137,380 cases were reported. In a statement, the state government announced a partnership with public and private organizations to circulate informational materials on dengue prevention and control across the state. The Superintendency for Endemic Disease Control is expected to double its field agent staff to a thousand agents as part of the strategy to help municipalities prevent a new epidemic in 2016.

Minister Chioro noted that the prevention steps for dengue are similar to those for the chikungunya fever, which is less severe, but with more persistent symptoms. Currently, the disease is more prevalent in the state ofAmapá and the vicinity of Feira de Santana, Bahia. Over 2,000 cases have been reported this year for these two areas alone.

Translated by Mayra Borges