Confirmed dengue cases in Mexico saw a staggering 385% increase during epidemiological week 24 of 2024, with 17,016 cases reported compared to 3,505 in the same period in 2023.
Additionally, a total of 26 dengue-related deaths were reported, up from five deaths in the same timeframe in 2023, according to the weekly report “Dengue Epidemiological Panorama 2024” from Mexico’s Ministry of Health (SSa).
Currently, 59% of confirmed cases are primarily concentrated in the states of Guerrero, Tabasco, Veracruz, Michoacán, and Chiapas.
For dengue cases classified as alarming and severe, 53% of the patients were men and 47% women.
In the Region of the Americas, the number of dengue cases recorded during the first half of 2024 exceeded the maximum number of cases historically reported in a year, as compared to all previously recorded years, according to a report from the World Health Organization (WHO).
The cumulative incidence rate as of EW 23 of 2024 is 63 cases per 100,000 population, 510 cases (0.61%) were characterized as severe and 26 fatal cases were recorded (case fatality rate 0.031%).
Preventive Actions to Eradicate Dengue
Dengue is a disease caused by a virus and transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito, according to the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS).
Dengue is not transmitted from person to person, and currently, there is no vaccine available to combat it. It has a seasonal behavior pattern, peaking during the warmer and rainier months, which prompts preventive actions during the rainy or hurricane seasons.
The Aedes aegypti mosquito prefers to lay its eggs in artificial containers holding water (such as drums, barrels, and tires) in and around homes, schools, and workplaces.
The eggs can withstand dry environmental conditions for more than a year. This is one of the species’ key strategies for survival and propagation, according to the WHO.
In response, state health departments in places like Oaxaca and Guerrero have implemented measures such as mass elimination of breeding sites, larviciding, and thermal fogging to prevent mosquito proliferation.
On an individual level, avoiding contact with this insect involves keeping patios and rooftops clean, covering containers, washing those that collect water, and eliminating those no longer in use to prevent breeding grounds within households.
Using larvicides or specialized insecticides to eliminate adult mosquitoes is recommended, but care should be taken not to harm other local insect or animal species, as some, like dragonflies, help control the Aedes aegypti population.
What Are the Symptoms of Dengue?
Dengue is a febrile illness that affects infants, children, and adults. The infection can be asymptomatic or present symptoms that appear after an incubation period of 4 to 7 days, ranging from moderate fever to debilitating high fever.
There are three different manifestations of the disease:
- Dengue Fever
- Hemorrhagic Fever
- Hemorrhagic Shock
Symptoms include fever, bone pain, severe headache (mainly in the forehead), eye pain (worsened by eye movement), skin rash (similar to measles), nausea, vomiting, insomnia, itching, loss of appetite, and abdominal pain.
The disease can progress to severe dengue, characterized by shortness of breath, severe bleeding or severe organ complications.
In severe cases, symptoms may include hemorrhage, convulsions due to fever, and severe dehydration.
Other recommended precautions include wearing clothing that covers most of the body, using mosquito repellent, installing screens on windows and beds, and avoiding garbage accumulation.
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