The dengue fever outbreak that began on the island of Reunion last year this time continues to grow into 2019, according to health officials in France (computer translated).

Image/ARS Indian Ocean
Image/ARS Indian Ocean

During the most recent reportable week, health officials saw another 566 confirmed cases with the most activity reported in The Saint-Louis River, St. Louis and St. Peter’s communes.

Since the beginning of the year, Reunion has seen 2307 cases, including 80 hospitalizations.

In total since the beginning of the outbreak, 9183 indigenous cases and six fatalities have been reported.

On July 10, 2018, the Prefect of La Réunion, in consultation with the General Direction of the ARS Indian Ocean, decided to raise the level of the specific ORSEC device for the fight against arboviruses, from level 3 “low intensity epidemic” at level 4 “medium intensity epidemic “. This decision is motivated by a significant epidemic risk at the return of the austral summer, justifying taking advantage of the winter to further strengthen the means of fighting the epidemic.

The objective of the transition to level 4 is to challenge all the actors involved and more broadly the population of Reunion for a collective and massive mobilization during the austral winter to stop as much as possible the spread of the dengue virus before the return of summer conditions.