Because of several factors to include the El Niño phenomenon, geographical conditions of the country and the natural cycle of the disease, Colombian health officials foresee continuing increases in dengue fever that started in October.

Colombia map Image/Alvaro1984 18
Colombia map
Image/Alvaro1984 18

Minister of Health and Social Protection, Juan Pablo Uribe Restrepo said, “You have to cut off the wings of dengue”. He is warning the country to strengthen dengue prevention, care, surveillance and control actions.

In January of this year, 6,310 cases of dengue -210 per day were reported. Of the total cases this year, 58.6 percent comes from Norte de Santander, Meta, Antioquia, Tolima, Córdoba, Cesar, Huila and Santander.

50.4 percent of the events come from 26 municipalities, with Cúcuta having the highest number: 526 (with 8.4%); Villavicencio, 274 (4.4%); Montería, 232 (3.7%); Santa Marta, 179 (2.9%); Barranquilla, 174 (2.8%), and Cartagena, 169 (2.7%).

According to the projections of the National Institute of Health, the dengue epidemic of this year could reach 120,000 cases.

Finally, Minister Uribe insisted that all people, especially those living in areas where there is a higher incidence of the disease, should reinforce and maintain preventive measures so that the mosquito does not reproduce. “We must all adopt this care to avoid the advance of dengue; it is an individual and collective commitment to the health of Colombians,” he said.