No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeNewsCosta RicaDengue cases on the rise throughout Costa Rica

Dengue cases on the rise throughout Costa Rica

Costa Rica’s Health Ministry declared an outbreak of dengue in the San José canton of Pérez Zeledón, the institution said this week.

To date, the Health Ministry has recorded 2,689 nationwide dengue cases, nearly three times as many as the 920 cases registered at the same time last year.

Of those, 215 cases correspond to the canton of Pérez Zeledón, located in the Brunca region of Costa Rica and about 40 miles southeast of the Greater Metropolitan Area (GAM).

Authorities there have invested 80 million colones (about $140,000) to combat the spread of dengue this year, according to the Health Ministry, though the institution stressed the importance of individual actions for containing the mosquito-borne disease.

Particularly during the rainy season, the public should:

  • Eliminate standing water on their property.
  • Apply mosquito repellent on exposed skin.
  • Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
  • Use mosquito nets.

Central American health experts have warned about the potentially catastrophic combination of dengue during the ongoing coronavirus crisis. Last year, at least 30 public hospitals in Honduras became saturated due to dengue patients alone.

Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection that is primarily transmitted by the Aedes aegypti species, which is also a vector of chikungunya, yellow fever and Zika viruses. Rain creates ideal conditions for mosquito breeding.

There is no specific treatment for dengue fever, and the World Health Organization estimates 390 million dengue virus infections occur each year, primarily in Asia.

“Early detection and access to proper medical care lowers fatality rates below 1%,” the WHO says.

Trending Now

Chiquita Executives Convicted in Colombia for Financing Death Squads

Colombian justice on Wednesday sentenced seven former executives of the multinational banana company Chiquita Brands to more than 11 years in prison and a...

El Salvador Retries Environmentalists Over 1989 Wartime Killing

A new trial against five Salvadoran environmentalists, accused of murdering a woman in 1989 during the civil war, will take place on Tuesday, announced...

Costa Rica Faces Economic Blow as Intel, Pfizer, and Qorvo Announce Restructuring

Intel announced that it will shut down its chip assembly and test plant in Costa Rica, part of a broader global restructuring aimed at...

Why I Choose Real Life in Costa Rica Over the AI Hype

When it comes to AI, call me OG. Old school. I sometimes wish I could go back to a time before it existed. Artificial...

Honduras Reinstates Mask Mandate Amid Rise in Respiratory Illnesses

Honduran health officials have reinstated a nationwide mask mandate following a spike in respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19, flu, and a fast-spreading Omicron subvariant known...

Costa Rica Tops Latin America in Attracting Foreign Millionaires

Costa Rica is a country that attracts millionaires. Projections indicate that by the end of 2025, a total of 350 foreign millionaires will have...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica