Dengue fever in Brazil tops 500,000, chikungunya in the Americas eclipse 350,000
The mosquito borne diseases, dengue fever and chikungunya, continue their climb in the Western hemisphere according to the latest data released by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) this week.
Dengue fever in the Americas has reached 773,421 cases spanning from the United States down to Argentina. Of the total tally, Brazil has reported the most cases by far with 517,695 cases, accounting for 67 percent of the total cases.
The number of autochthonous chikungunya cases rose by nearly 50,000 cases in the Caribbean and Latin America during the past week with the total such cases now topping 350,000. Of the 355,617 locally acquired cases reported, Hispaniola accounts for 245, 257 cases (Dominican Republic with 193,413 and Haiti with 51,844), accounting for 69 percent of cases.
Health and Disease journalist, Chuck Simmins reports that in the United States to date, The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced July 8 that they have received reports of 153 cases of chikungunya in U.S. However, he notes that a compilation of state reports show that the continental U.S. has 42 more cases than in the CDC report. For more infectious disease news and information, visit and “like” the Infectious Disease News Facebook page
Western hemisphere map
Public domain image/ E Pluribus Anthony
