Dengue outbreak in Peru
(Image: A dengue fever patient walks amid patients resting under mosquito nets tied with threads at the Support Hospital II in Sullana, Piura department, in northern Peru, on June 9, 2023. Photo by Ernesto BENAVIDES / AFP)
Peru in South America is battling its worst dengue outbreak on record with 200 people reported dead, according to the country's health ministry. Further, there are at least 130,000 confirmed cases of dengue in the country.
Most of the deaths have taken place in northern Peru, according to Reuters. As per reports, health officials said hospitals are "paralyzed" and medical personnel from across the country are flocking to treat those infected with dengue, a disease transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected Aedes mosquitoes.
Dengue is rare in US
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, dengue is rare in the US mainland and nearly all cases have been among travelers. Even when dengue outbreaks occur, they're usually restricted to small areas. Then what is causing the sudden rise of this disease and leading to so many deaths?
Climate change is to blame
Raman Velayudhan, who leads the WHO's program on Neglected Tropical Diseases, said at an April news conference, "In terms of climate change, certainly increased precipitation, higher temperatures and higher humidity all favor the mosquito," reported Daily Express US.
Role of El Nino
El Niño is associated with a band of warm ocean water that develops in the central and east-central equatorial Pacific, including the area off the Pacific coast of South America.
The dengue epidemic in Peru has been exacerbated by the beginning of the El Niño weather pattern, which causes a cyclical warming of the world's oceans and weather. This warmth fuels tropical cyclones in the Pacific, boosting rainfall and flood risk in the region. All this can contribute to the rise in dengue cases.
Symptoms of dengue
According to the US CDC, many people bitten by an infected mosquito may be asymptomatic. In mild cases, people may experience chills, fever, a rash and body aches that typically last for about seven days. Further, a severe dengue infection can cause shock, internal bleeding, organ failure and even death. About 1 in 20 people infected with dengue experience a severe case, as per data.
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Fumigated millions of homes
Health authorities in Peru also said that they have fumigated millions of homes across the country to stop the infection from spreading. "We have put 1,485 thermo nebulizers into operation nationwide,” said the Peruvian head of health, Minister Rosa Gutierrez. He also visited the Piura region over the weekend to "supervise prevention and control actions against the Aedes mosquito."
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