Brazil: Dengue fever outbreak reported in Serra

Event

An outbreak of dengue fever is ongoing in the city of Serra (Espírito Santo state). Officials have recorded 251 cases as of mid-January, which authorities note, is an 800 percent increase over the number of cases reported during the same period a year prior. The Municipal Health office is continuing to implement public health measures, including fumigation campaigns aimed at eliminating mosquito breeding grounds, to hinder the further spread of the disease.

Context

Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne disease found mostly in urban and semi-urban areas. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, nausea, and rash. In a small number of cases, the potentially deadly dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) may develop, resulting in internal bleeding, enlargement of the liver, and high fever.

Advice

Individuals present in Serra are advised to take measures to protect themselves from mosquito bites (e.g. by wearing covering clothing, using insect repellent, and sleeping in a screened-in or air-conditioned room) and to eliminate possible mosquito breeding grounds on their properties (e.g. small pockets of fresh water, such as rainwater that has collected in cans, bottles, tires, flower pots, clogged gutters, etc.).