PERU is reeling from the high record of case counts of dengue fever, and to combat the virus, the World Health Organization (WHO) will mobilize 6,000 healthcare professionals to help the country battle the crisis.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus revealed that Peru is now experiencing an extreme dengue outbreak with 81,202 confirmed cases and at least 193 deaths, and warned that the strain may affect Peru’s healthcare system badly, despite the low fatality rate of less than 1%.
Dr. Tedros highlighted the global surge in arbovirus diseases like dengue, zika, and chikungunya, attributing it to climate change and the proliferation of disease-carrying mosquitoes.
There’s no specific treatment for dengue, and the focus is on treating pain symptoms.
The treatment of its symptoms revolves around keeping patients hydrated and giving them paracetamol, and inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen are avoided because they can increase the risk of bleeding.
Recovery usually takes about a week, and patients with severe dengue often require hospitalization.
A vaccine for dengue is currently in development but has yet to be approved in Peru.
18 of Peru’s 24 states are currently under a state of emergency due to dengue.
Meanwhile, neighboring country Chile has implemented unilateral sanitary measures to prevent the spread of dengue, declaring a health alert in several regions due to the presence of disease-causing mosquitoes.
Chile’s Health Minister, Ximena Aguilera, expressed concern about a possible outbreak in her country which is why they are now doing their best efforts to eliminate the mosquitoes that cause the said disease and prevent the surge.
