Pilar Olivares / Reuters
Nurses attend to patients in a dengue emergency care unit on February 6 in Rio de Janeiro.
San Paolo, Brazil
CNN
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Rio de Janeiro has declared a public health emergency due to the outbreak. Dengue feverA few days ago Carnival celebrations It is going to be held all over Brazil.
The city’s mayor, Eduardo Paes, announced the move on Monday, according to CNN affiliate CNN Brasil, in an effort to prevent mosquito-borne diseases that can cause flu-like symptoms and, in worst cases, be fatal.
The increase in Dengue The cases have added urgency to a planned nationwide vaccination drive and come as Rio prepares for its world-famous carnival, which officially begins on Friday. The pre-Lenten celebration is held all over Brazil, and Rio’s colorful parades and block parties are among the world’s biggest, with millions taking to the streets.
Rio has recorded more than 11,200 cases of dengue this year, according to a report by the city council’s Epidemiological Monitoring Group, which is expected to rise to nearly 23,000 in all of 2023.
In January alone, 362 people were hospitalized in Rio due to dengue — a record high since 2008, CNN Brasil reported.
Rio Municipal Health Secretary Daniel Soranz said last Friday: “In 2024, we have almost half the number of cases in one month than last year, which has caused great concern.”
To prevent the spread of the disease, the city will open 10 care centers in Rio, and the Ministry of Health has established an emergency center to coordinate operations, according to Reuters.
Rio is one of three states that have declared public health emergencies due to a surge in dengue infections, the second most populous being Minas Gerais, and the federal district where the capital Brasilia is located, according to Reuters.
About 365,000 dengue infections were reported across the country in the first five weeks of the year – four times more than the same period last year, Reuters reported, citing the Ministry of Health. The ministry announced that 40 people died.
“A number of Brazilian cities are experiencing a state of emergency due to the sharp increase in dengue cases,” Brazilian Health Minister Nicia Trindade said in a statement on Tuesday.
“Record heat and above-average rainfall since last year have increased mosquito-borne outbreaks. Now is the time for all of Brazil to unite to prevent dengue.
Dengue a A viral infection is transmitted Bites by the Aedes aegypti mosquito responsible for spreading Zika, chikungunya and yellow fever.
It causes throbbing headaches, muscle and joint pain, fever and rash, although only 25% of those infected show symptoms. More severe cases can cause bleeding, shock, organ failure, and death.
Dengue is the most common mosquito-borne virus and infects millions of people worldwide each year, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Although there is no specific treatment for the disease, Brazil is planning a mass vaccination campaign against dengue.
Brazil approved the vaccine in March 2023, becoming the first country to provide dengue vaccination in the public health system, the Ministry of Health announced.
The Ministry’s plan By 2024, 3.2 million people between the ages of 10 and 14 will be vaccinated against the Qdenga vaccine with Japanese drugmaker Takeda.
In a statement, Nicia said, “The vaccine will be produced gradually, given the limited amount produced in the manufacturer’s laboratory.” “At the same time, the Ministry of Health will coordinate national efforts to expand production and access to dengue vaccines.”
Brazil will begin vaccinations by Friday, Reuters reported.
Rio’s municipal health department plans to vaccinate children as soon as the dose is released by the health ministry, CNN Brasil reported.
Clinical trials have shown that the vaccine has reduced the risk of severe dengue requiring hospitalization by 80-90%. basis For an article published in the Lancet journal last month.
Speaking in Brazil WHO Director-General Theodore Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday that Brazil’s dengue outbreak was being fueled by an “El Niño phenomenon,” a natural weather pattern that originates in the Pacific Ocean and affects the world’s weather. It has a current El Nino. To be one of the strongest registeredAccording to new data from NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center.
“In fact, this dengue epidemic is part of the dengue epidemic that has infected more than 5 million people and 5,000 last year from 80 countries, except for the European region,” he said.
Of the 5 million people registered worldwide, nearly 3 million were in Brazil, according to World Health Organization data.
Global number of dengue cases added Eightfold in the past two decades, according to the World Health Organization; Driving High temperature and long rainy seasons.
as human-reason The climate crisis is getting worseMosquito-borne diseases can spread more and have a greater impact on human health.
This story has been updated with additional developments. Additional reporting by Reuters.