Concern about the spread of dengue

Dengue, an infectious tropical disease transmitted by a mosquito and causing severe muscle pain, headaches, fever and vomiting, breaks records in the American continent and Southeast Asia in 2024. In Latin America alone, there are 4.6 million cases reported in so far this year, which represents a spectacular increase of 230% compared to the same period last year, according to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). The most serious cases can cause death. Brazil (203 million inhabitants) is the most affected in absolute numbers, but in proportion the rate is much worse in Paraguay (with 2,500 cases per 100,000 inhabitants), Guatemala and Peru. Argentina is in seventh place and Brazil in ninth. The explosion of dengue cases, which has already killed 1,300 people in Brazil, is related to the climate crisis, according to PAHO experts.

The disease is concentrated in tropical and subtropical regions. It is estimated that there are between 100 and 400 million infections per year in the world. But no one is safe from new outbreaks. The mosquito that transmits dengue,

previously unknown in temperate climates such as Europe, is entering new territories thanks to rising temperatures. In the regions where it is endemic, it now reaches earlier and farther than ever, especially due to the El Niño phenomenon, the abnormal warming of the Pacific Ocean.

There is a vaccine, but at a price that is inaccessible to a large part of the citizens of the most affected countries. Lula da Silva's Brazil is the first country, and for now the only one, to offer it in public health, for the moment only for Brazilians between 10 and 14 years old in the most affected cities. In the Argentina of ultra-liberal Javier Milei, the injection costs 130 euros, the equivalent of two-thirds of the minimum wage, an expense out of reach of many. Meanwhile, the price of mosquito repellent skyrockets, which is sold out in stores.

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All countries need more campaigns on basic prevention, inspections to avoid stagnant waters, prevent unscrupulous greedy people from profiting from the emergency and try to get the vaccine to the most vulnerable through the public system. Scientific studies must also be accelerated on novel preventive methods, such as the one that modifies

so that it cannot transmit dengue, Zika, yellow fever or chikungunya.

In the Covid pandemic, the world learned what a difference it can make when governments take an infectious threat seriously. The disease can be especially serious in the second infection, which anticipates that next year the situation could be worse. Dengue is riding on rising temperatures, and that is not going to change.