Health officials in Táchira state in western Venezuela have declared an alert due to an outbreak of the parasitic disease, Chagas disease.
In the village of Puerto Nuevo, Libertador, the Health Corporation – Government of Tachira has reported 45 suspected Chagas disease cases, including five fatalities due to acute Chagas.
Governor of the state Táchira, Laidy Gomez tweeted the names of the deceased Sunday.
From the Central Hospital of San Cristóbal, president of Corposalud, Dr. Luis Ramírez, also confirmed to journalists the death of five people (four adults and a baby).
“The outbreak is because of acute chagas, we already identified the parasite in one of the patients transferred to this health center. It is suspected that the mode of transmission is through the oral route,” the doctor said.
Ramirez made a call to calm assuring that the Chagas disease is not contagious, because it is transmitted by sting of “Chipo” (Rhodnius prolixus), or by consuming food contaminated by the vector
Epidemiologists from the Health Corporation (Corposalud) and the Ministry of Health are continuing investigations to initiate an action plan.
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Related:
- Chagas cases linked to possible contaminated acai reported in southern Amazonas
- Making Chagas disease drug widely accessible to children: WHO and Mundo Sano Foundation
- New hosts for Chagas disease vectors identified
- Dr. Peter Hotez on World Chagas Day 2017
- Chagas disease vector spread linked to cardboard boxes: Study
- Kissing bugs found in more than half the US: What is Chagas disease?
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