The number of dengue fever cases in the Americas in 2019 to date–North, Central and South America and the Caribbean islands–has nearly quadrupled the number of cases reported during the same period in 2018.

Image/CDC

Through April 7, 526,550 dengue cases have been reported, compared to 146,436 cases reported this period in 2018.

Large increases have been reported in Brazil (439,422 vs 81,141), Colombia (25,974 vs 7,276) and the Dominican Republic (1391 vs 326).

In addition, the number of dengue related fatalities are up this year in the hemisphere (171 vs 51).

The following countries have reported all four dengue virus serotypes circulating–Guatemala and Mexico.

Dengue infects nearly 400 million people across more than 120 countries each year. Most survive with few or no symptoms, but more than two million annually develop what can be a dangerous dengue hemorrhagic fever, which kills more than 25,000 people each year.

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Dengue viruses are arboviruses (arthropod-borne virus) that are transmitted primarily to humans through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito.