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The dengue epidemic affects all of Central America during the rainy season, including Honduras, where 89 people died from the last count of 11 August. Caused by the virus transmitted by a dreaded mosquito, this disease can be fatal.
Never had an epidemic of dengue become so important. And all because of the mosquito vector of the disease: Aedes Aegypti. The most affected country is Honduras, which sees the number of patients and victims increasing daily. So much so that most of the 32 public hospitals are completely overwhelmed .
89 dengue deaths
Since the beginning of the year, health authorities have registered more than 49,322 cases of dengue fever. 38,469 of these cases are curable because they are of the classic type, but 10,853 of them are severe or haemorrhagic and fatal. Last week, this dengue fever caused 27 new deaths. The death toll is currently 89, of which the majority are children.
In other Central American countries, the situation is not as critical as in Honduras. But it is worrying. Especially in Guatemala where the authorities recorded more than 12,000 cases and 27 deaths according to the count of 9 August. In Nicaragua, there are currently only 10 deaths, but the number of cases is alarming because it constantly increases them until reaching August 13 the number of 67 381 cases . The disease contaminates one person every thirty minutes.
As of last July, Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua have declared an epidemiological alert. In order to fight effectively against this disease and the mosquito that transmits it. Even the army has been mobilized.
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Measures include emptying and eradicating stagnant water containers, applying larvicides to prevent mosquito breeding and fumigating houses and surrounding areas. As for the inhabitants, they must be coated with anti-mosquito, resort to insecticides, and at night, use mosquito nets.
Mosquitoes in the mountains
Climate change would be an aggravating factor in this proliferation of dengue fever. First, because the number of rainfall increases and allows the proliferation of the mosquito. And also because the temperatures are increasing everywhere and in particular in the regions in altitude.
Normally, this mosquito lives in the heat of the tropical and subtropical zones and not in the mountains. The increase in temperatures allows the mosquito to live at higher altitudes, where it now finds favorable conditions to develop. Dengue has appeared in recent months in areas where the disease was previously unknown.