The number of people diagnosed with Dengue fever in the two Americas has tripled compared to last year

Health officials said the number of people diagnosed with dengue fever in the Americas tripled in the first three months of the year, compared to the same period in 2023. The Pan American Health Organization, a UN agency representing 35 countries, says that more than 3.5 million Dengue cases have been reported in the region. More than a thousand people lost their lives. The most seriously affected countries are Brazil, Argentina and Peru, which declared a state of health emergency in February. Most cases of the mosquito-borne disease are mild, but it can cause severe joint and muscle pain and fever, often requiring hospital treatment. Health experts argue that climate change and the El Niño phenomenon have created ideal conditions for the spread of the mosquito that transmits Dengue fever./aionita/denisse

(BBC WORLD SERVICE – March 28)