MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Dengue kills over 1,000 people in Brazil so far this year

In all of 2023, 1,079 deaths caused by dengue were recorded in Brazil

Dengue fever has killed over 1,000 Brazilians so far this year while other 1,531 deaths are under investigation, federal authorities admitted Wednesday. The Health Ministry's Arbovirus Panel said 1,020 deaths from the disease have been recorded whereas the total number of casualties from the same ailment in 2023 amounted to 1,079. The country has recorded some 2.6 million infections, Agencia Brasil also reported.

However, eight Brazilian States were showing a downward trend in the number of dengue cases: Acre, Amazonas, Espírito Santo, Goiás, Minas Gerais, Piauí, Roraima, and the Federal District. “The states that are falling were where the epidemic began. For these, we can say that the worst is over,” said Health and Environmental Surveillance Secretary Ethel Maciel.

Another seven states are still on an upward trend: Alagoas, Bahia, Maranhão, Mato Grosso do Sul, Pernambuco, Rio Grande do Norte, and Sergipe.

In this scenario, the Health Ministry insisted that vigilance must continue and therefore vaccination in São Paulo was to begin Thursday at 11 immunization posts where 8,310 doses left over from other municipalities will be administered to children and adolescents aged 10 to 14. However, City Council authorities admitted more doses will be needed for the children and young people in the area. Hence, the neighborhoods that will receive the doses were chosen following technical criteria, according to the number of dengue cases per 100,000 inhabitants recorded. Initial announcements that vaccination would be carried out in schools were later overruled.

According to Takeda, the Japanese laboratory developing the drug, people with dengue fever or suspected dengue fever should not get the Qdenga vaccine.