Dengue epidemic in Southwest Brazil, Campo Grande in a ‘State of Emergency’
Health officials in the southwestern Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul are battling a epidemic-like surge of dengue fever in which some 9,000 cases have been reported from the capital city during the month of January, according to a Fox News Latino report Jan. 22.
In Campo Grande, a state of emergency was declared Monday. Under the state of emergency, city authorities will be able to hire extra workers and purchase medicine with much more ease.
Thousands of cases, more than 9,300 have been reported during the first few weeks of the new year in the city.
Campo Grande mayor, Aucides Bernal said the situation is getting dire, “In the beginning of the year we registered 300 cases, it then went up to 500, and today we have more than 700 cases per day. And the situation is expected to get worst”, according to a WTVY.com report Tuesday.
Mayor Bernal told Brazilian media that “the numbers show that this epidemic is the largest” ever experienced in Campo Grande, a city of nearly 800,000 people.
Moreover, Campo Grande is not alone. The city of Vitoria in Espiritu Santo state has also seen a steep rise in the incidence of dengue cases with more than 1,500 cases reported this month, according to a BBC report.
In the current epidemic, Dengue type 1, type 2 and type 4 viruses are circulating.
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Dengue fever is an infectious disease carried by mosquitoes and caused by any of four related dengue viruses. This disease used to be called “break-bone fever” because it sometimes causes severe joint and muscle pain that feels like bones are breaking.
Dengue fever of multiple types is found in most countries of the tropics and subtropics particularly during and after rainy season.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimate 100 million cases annually with an increase in the amount of epidemics reported in many parts of the world in recent years.
There are four types of dengue virus: DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3 and DEN-4.
People get the dengue virus from the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito. It is not contagious from person to person.
There are three types of dengue fever in order of less severe to most: the typical uncomplicated dengue fever, dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHS) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS).
The symptoms of classic dengue usually start within a week after being infected. They include very high fever, up to 105°F, severe headache, pain behind the eye, severe joint and muscle pain, nausea and vomiting and a rash.
Symptoms of DHF include all the symptoms of classic dengue plus severe damage to the blood vessels. Bleeding from the nose, gums or under the skin are common. This form of dengue can be fatal.
Symptoms of DSS include all of the above symptoms plus; fluid leaking outside of blood vessels, massive bleeding and shock. This form of the disease usually happens in children experiencing their second infection.
Two-third of all fatalities occurs among children.
There is no treatment for dengue, just treat the symptoms. Persons who think they have dengue should use analgesics (pain relievers) with acetaminophen and avoid those containing aspirin. They should also rest, drink plenty of fluids, and consult a physician.
There is not a vaccine for dengue fever.
Currently, the best preventive measure is to avoid mosquito bites.
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[…] officials in the southwestern Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul are battling a epidemic-like surge of dengue fever in which some 9,000 cases have been reported […]