Health authorities in the Bolivian department of Santa Cruz (east) declared yesterday, Thursday, a “red alert” for dengue due to the alarming increase in cases and the death of four people from the disease so far this year.
Through the alert, epidemiological surveillance and care at the three levels of health will be reinforced, explained to journalists by the manager of Epidemiology of the Departmental Health Service (Sedes) of Santa Cruz, Carlos Hurtado.
In addition, he continued timely laboratory diagnosis and treatment in health services will be guaranteed, in addition to organizing the work of the community for the destruction of breeding sites and fumigation.
Hurtado assured that the health centers are not yet saturated, despite the high number of patients hospitalized for dengue, but warned that the situation could change if the population does not collaborate with the destruction of mosquito breeding sites.
According to the regional epidemiological report, 112 patients are hospitalized in the department, of which 78 are in the city and 44 in the provinces.
He explained that this year “four deaths have been reported in the department with clinical characteristics of the disease, some with a positive rapid test, so the Scientific Committee of Sedes has been reactivated to take actions such as declaring a red alert, emergency, and other alternatives”.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Health and Sports, Jeyson Auza, also informed today that this year up to January 18, 508 cases of dengue had been reported in the departments of Santa Cruz, Beni, north of La Paz, Tarija, Pando, and Cochabamba.
Dengue is transmitted through the bite of an infected “Aedes Aegypti” mosquito.
Its most common symptoms include fever, nausea, vomiting, rash, discomfort, and pain behind the eyes, muscle, joint, and bone pain.