Victoria Micieli, director and scientist on the Middle for Parasitological and Vector Research of the nationwide scientific analysis institute CONICET, classifies totally different species of mosquitoes at a laboratory in La Plata, in Argentina’s Buenos Aires Province, on Tuesday.
Luis Robayo/AFP by way of Getty Pictures
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Luis Robayo/AFP by way of Getty Pictures
Victoria Micieli, director and scientist on the Middle for Parasitological and Vector Research of the nationwide scientific analysis institute CONICET, classifies totally different species of mosquitoes at a laboratory in La Plata, in Argentina’s Buenos Aires Province, on Tuesday.
Luis Robayo/AFP by way of Getty Pictures
Puerto Rico has issued a public well being emergency after recording an unusually speedy rise in dengue circumstances over the primary few months of this 12 months.
It is the most recent space to grapple with a surge of infections of the mosquito-borne illness, which sickens an estimated 100–400 million individuals globally every year.
In line with Puerto Rico’s well being division, the territory has recorded 549 circumstances for the reason that begin of the 12 months, almost half of which have occurred within the San Juan area. Puerto Rico noticed a complete of 1,293 circumstances all through all of final 12 months, the Related Press reported.
“This 12 months, dengue circumstances have exceeded historic figures,” Puerto Rico’s well being secretary Carlos Mellado López stated in a press release.
Dengue has been surging elsewhere, too. Brazil has seen a dramatic uptick in dengue this 12 months, with multiple million circumstances, whereas Peru skilled a document variety of infections final summer season. Argentina can also be on the cusp of a record-breaking dengue outbreak.
In line with the World Well being Group, about half of the world’s inhabitants is now in danger for the illness.
What’s dengue?
Folks usually contract dengue via the chunk of an Aedes mosquito contaminated with one of many 4 kinds of the dengue virus.
Most individuals with dengue will present no indicators of an infection or expertise solely gentle signs, resembling fever, muscle and joint ache and nausea. They usually get better in a single or two weeks.
In line with the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention, solely 1 / 4 of individuals contaminated with dengue get sick.
In uncommon circumstances, dengue can require hospitalization and be doubtlessly deadly. Extra extreme signs embody bleeding gums and nostril, belly ache and chronic vomiting.
Those that’ve gotten dengue beforehand usually tend to develop into significantly ailing with a subsequent an infection.
Although there isn’t a particular medication to deal with dengue, victims can take acetaminophen to regulate their fever and cut back ache.
How you can preserve your self secure
Roughly half of the Earth’s inhabitants might catch dengue the place they reside. Discovered mostly in tropical and subtropical climates, dengue is endemic to greater than 100 international locations in Asia, Africa, the Americas and elsewhere, in accordance with the WHO, and has been spreading to components of Europe. Final 12 months Florida and Texas reported dengue circumstances.
There’s a vaccine for dengue known as Dengvaxia. Within the U.S., it’s accepted to be used in kids between ages 9–16 who’ve beforehand been contaminated with the illness, and in different components of the world it’s out there to adults as much as age 45.
Specialists say one of the simplest ways to keep away from contracting dengue is to forestall mosquito bites.
Insect repellents resembling DEET, Picaridin and IR3535 will help preserve mosquitoes at bay. Folks may put on loose-fitting clothes that covers their legs and arms and use mosquito nets.
At residence, individuals ought to have screens in home windows and doorways and usually dump standing water from gadgets like flower pots to forestall mosquitoes from laying eggs.
