NewsDesk @bactiman63

The circulation of two of the four existing dengue serotypes, together with the increase in hospitalized patients, create the right environment for an  “explosion of severe dengue cases” to occur in some health regions of the country.  This was revealed in the epidemiological report of the Ministry of Health (Minsa) earlier this month.

Image/CDC

Among the health regions in which this ” explosion of severe dengue cases ” may occur are the Metropolitan Region, Los Santos, North Panama and San Miguelito, where  DENV1  and  DENV2 circulate . The circulation of two dengue serotypes in the same place is a dangerous combination, because it can lead the patient to develop severe dengue and even death. In addition, it revealed that to date 380 cases have been reported that required hospitalization.

The Minsa report  indicated that  only the DENV1 dengue serotype circulates in Darién, Panamá Oeste and Chiriquí  , while in Coclé, Guna Yala, Panamá Este and Herrera only DENV2 circulates . Dengue, a disease transmitted by the  Aedes aegypti mosquito that  has four serotypes (DENV 1, DENV 2, DENV 3 and DENV 4), returned to the country in 1993.

In addition, the Minsa data showed a cumulative of 3,831 dengue cases this year, including one death in the district of San Miguelito.

According to the report, the regions with the highest cases are the Metropolitan (988), North Panama (783), West Panama (530) and Bocas del Toro with 526 cases.