A state of emergency has been declared in northeast Brazil’s Pernambuco state due to the proliferation of the viruses, dengue, Zika and chikungunya in the region, all transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito vector.
The emergency decrees were signed Sunday by Pernambuco Governor Paulo Camara and the mayor of the capital city of Recife, Geraldo Julio, according to local news report (computer translated).
The decrees will authorize any governmental actions to battle the current situation. In addition, it creates an official Task Force to Combat Aedes aegypti in the Pernambuco capital.
“We will do whatever is necessary, under the State Government to the 2014 framework and 2015 is not repeated in 2016. We need the unity of the government and civil society. Together, working to overcome this which is the largest health crisis in Brazil,” said Gov. Camara.
Brazil has reported more than 1.5 million dengue fever cases nationally in 2015 to date, with nearly 300,000 cases reported in the northeast.
In addition, an unusual surge of microcephaly has been reported in the state and Brazilian health officials said they have linked this anomaly to another mosquito borne virus, Zika.
Please do a report on the need for an IT system to monitor, track, and anticipate vector-borne diseases. Until that is in place we’re at best playing catch-up, and being counseled to apply insect repellent and wear long sleeves until the vaccines are approved.
An IT system could even assist with more targeted and focussed spraying.
Thanks.
Alicia Juarrero