Panama dengue fever death toll rises to 13, first hantavirus death of 2014
The Ministry of Health (MoH ) of Panama today confirmed that the country has reported 13 deaths from dengue transmitted by the bite of the Aedes aegypti , and the first death of the year for hantavirus , according to a Prensa Latina report today (computer translated).
A female Aedes aegypti mosquito
Image/CDC
Just yesterday, the MOH updated the dengue fatality count at 11; however, two additional have been recorded in recent hours.
Health officials say that of the 13 total fatalities, six have occurred since the New Year and there are fears this number could get higher as mosquito infestation is very high even in residential areas such as San Francisco.
Panama is gearing up for using transgenic mosquitoes from Oxitec next month to attempt to get the outbreak under control. Panama declared a dengue epidemic at the beginning of January.
In addition, Javier Diaz with the Ministry of Health said that there has been seven cases of hantavirus reported, all in the province of Los Santos.
Today, Diaz announced the first hantavirus fatality of 2014 in a 19-year-old individual.
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