In a follow-up on the dengue fever epidemic on Réunion, French health officials more than 500 confirmed cases in the west and south of the island since the beginning of the year.

Aedes aegypti/CDC
Aedes aegypti/CDC

588 indigenous cases have been reported since Jan. 1, with 154 cases confirmed in the last week.

The strain implicated for most of the cases is DEN-2, health officials report.

On Mar. 26, the Prefect of Reunion declared the level “low intensity epidemic” of the ORSEC device for the fight against arboviruses.

Authorities say the current epidemic could continue to intensify in the coming weeks. Indeed, the population is not immune to dengue fever (only 3.1% of blood donors, tested for dengue in 2008, had antibodies against the virus) and current weather conditions are conducive to vector development.

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