Guatemala declares red alert over unprecedented surge in dengue cases for 2024
Guatemala recorded 1,030 dengue cases in the first week of January 2024, marking an increase from the number of cases reported during the same period in 2023.
Between January and May 18, 2024, the country has already recorded 3,461 and 19,929 cases in the first and second notifications released by the Ministry of Health respectively.
The nation declared a red alert on Friday, May 24, after some 12 deaths from dengue fever were recorded. According to Edgar Santos, director of Epidemiology and Risk Management of the Ministry of Health, there is an average of a thousand cases per epidemiological week in Guatemala.
In a report filed by Prensa Libre, 36% of the dengue cases recorded so far in 2024 are among the school-age population, between 5 and 14 years old.
Analysis
According to Reliefweb, the countries in the global south with the highest numbers of reported cases include Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Peru, Colombia, and Mexico.
It adds that as of mid-May 2024, the Americas region has reported over 8.1 million suspected dengue cases, representing a 3.3-fold increase compared to the same period last year. Furthermore, the region has experienced over 3,600 dengue-related deaths.
Mexico has reported over 65,000 dengue cases, Honduras over 20,000, and Panama over 5,800, all reflecting increases of between 2.5 and nearly six times the number of cases reported during the same period in 2023. Meanwhile, countries and territories in the Caribbean have reported over 21,000 cases, representing a 5.7-fold increase compared to the same period last year.
WHO explains that dengue, also known as break-bone fever, is a viral infection transmitted by mosquitoes. It is more prevalent in tropical and subtropical climates. Most people infected with dengue do not exhibit symptoms. However, for those who do, the most common symptoms include high fever, headache, body aches, nausea, and rash.
