According to the Health Ministry, 39 people have died from dengue during the current outbreak which has also seen 56,324 recorded cases as of mid-April. These numbers mark a record in the history of dengue in Argentina — 2020, the deadliest year until now for the disease, had seen 26 deaths. 

The ministry also reported that there have been 1,278 cases of chikungunya.

Dengue

Dengue has spread in 15 provinces across central and northern Argentina: Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Entre Ríos, Santa Fe, Corrientes, Formosa, Chaco, Catamarca, Jujuy, La Rioja, Salta, Santiago del Estero, Tucumán and San Luis.

“Accumulated cases registered so far in the current season are above what was registered for the same week in previous years (60% more than in 2016 and 70% more than in 2020 for the same week),” said the Health Ministry report.

Of the 39 reported deaths this year, 22 were women and 17 were men. According to the report, 19 of those who died had comorbidities, 10 did none and there is no data for the remaining 10. 

Dengue is a viral disease transmitted by the bite of the Aedes mosquito, mainly Aedes aegypti. When the mosquito feeds on the blood of a person infected with the dengue virus, it can transmit the disease by biting a healthy person eight to 12 days later.

Transmission to babies during pregnancy is possible but infrequent.

Dengue symptoms are fever and at least one of the following symptoms:

• Pain behind the eyes
• Headache
• Muscle and joint pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fatigue
• Blotches and itching of the skin
• Nose or gum bleeds

Dengue patients should seek immediate medical attention if they notice their symptoms reappearing or getting worse, or if new symptoms appear (such as breathing difficulties, abdominal pain, profuse bleeding from mucous membranes, irritability, drowsiness, or persistent vomiting).

Chikungunya

The Health Ministry also reported 1,278 cases of Chikungunya, a viral disease also transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes and can be passed onto infants in the perinatal period (the last eight weeks of pregnancy and the first four weeks following delivery).

Out of that number, 776 were infected in Argentina; 215 are under investigation and 287 got the disease abroad.

The circulation of Chikungunya has been confirmed in eight provinces: Buenos Aires; Autonomous City of Buenos Aires; Chaco; Córdoba; Corrientes; Formosa; Santa Fe and Salta.

—Télam/Herald