Sao Paulo State Declares Health Emergency Amid Dengue Surge
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Synopsis
Sao Paulo has declared a health emergency due to a spike in dengue cases, enabling rapid financial and medical responses. Health officials emphasize the need to eliminate mosquito breeding sites to combat the outbreak, which has led to numerous confirmed cases and fatalities across the state.
Key Takeaways
- Sao Paulo declares health emergency to combat dengue outbreak.
- Health officials stress the need to eliminate mosquito breeding sites.
- State accounts for 58% of Brazil's dengue cases.
- 124,038 reported cases and 113 confirmed deaths.
- Emergency measures facilitate quicker medical supply procurement.
Sao Paulo, Feb 20 (NationPress) The Brazilian state of Sao Paulo has declared a health emergency due to the rising number of dengue cases, enabling officials to expedite financial and medical interventions.
During a news briefing, Sao Paulo Health Secretary Eleuses Paiva stated that dengue, spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, is anticipated to peak in April, necessitating urgent measures, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
"The challenge is immense... The sole method to diminish dengue transmission is by eradicating mosquito breeding sites. It's akin to a battle -- we must devise a strategy," Paiva remarked.
The emergency declaration will facilitate the swift procurement of medical supplies and treatments for those affected, he noted.
As Brazil's most populous and industrialized state, Sao Paulo is home to 46 million residents and represents 58 percent of the nation's dengue cases, according to the Health Ministry.
The state has documented 124,038 cases and 113 confirmed fatalities, with an additional 82,908 cases and 233 deaths currently under investigation.
On Friday, Brazil's Health Ministry permitted states to broaden dengue vaccination efforts if doses are nearing expiration.
A total of 21 cities within Sao Paulo state have declared a state of emergency due to the surge in dengue cases. In the initial two epidemiological weeks of this year, the state has already recorded 18,100 probable cases of the disease, with 4,340 confirmed and the remainder under investigation. There are also 30 fatalities being examined for the disease.
During the first epidemiological week alone, from December 29, 2024, to January 4 of this year, 7,201 probable cases of the disease were logged in Sao Paulo, marking a 9.45 percent rise compared to the same timeframe last year, when 6,579 probable cases were recorded.
The decree allows municipalities to swiftly implement actions aimed at combating dengue fever, in addition to enabling them to acquire supplementary resources.
On January 9, the Ministry of Health unveiled the establishment of the Health Emergency Operations Center (COE) for Dengue and other Arboviruses in Sao Paulo. The purpose of this initiative, as reported by the Ministry, is to enhance the monitoring of arboviruses and direct the execution of actions focused on epidemiological, laboratory, healthcare surveillance, and vector control.
