The number of dengue fever infections in the Western hemisphere has topped the 2 million case mark, nearly doubling the totals of all recent years with the exception of 2013 when about 2.4 million cases were seen.
Public domain image/ E Pluribus Anthony
According to UN health officials, the total tally as of Nov. 6 is 2,007,421, including 1,007 fatalities, giving it a case-fatality rate of 0.05%. In all of 2014, 1,176,529 cases and 798 deaths were reported.
Leading all countries is Brazil who has seen nearly 1.5 million cases or about 3/4s of the cases. Other countries reporting significant numbers include Mexico (166,255) and Colombia (76,462).
Brazil has seen 761 of the more than 1,000 dengue deaths in 2015.
Guatemala, Mexico, Colombia and Brazil have recorded cases of all four dengue serotypes.
Last week, health authorities, epidemiology experts from Latin America and the Caribbean, and representatives of World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centers gathered in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to discuss actions to improve countries’ preparedness and response with respect to dengue, chikungunya and Zika, three mosquito-transmitted viruses.
Robert Herriman is a microbiologist and the Editor-in-Chief of Outbreak News Today
Follow @bactiman63
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