Peru on Monday declared a health emergency in most of its provinces after the number of dengue fever cases rose during the warmer-than-usual El Niño weather period.
The number of dengue cases registered in the first seven weeks of this year is double that of the same period in 2023, with more than 31,000 cases recorded, according to the country's health ministry.
“This is a serious problem,” Health Minister Cesar Vazquez said last week before the state of emergency was declared. “And it's getting out of hand.”
The health emergency also allows the country's government to more quickly send funds and transport doctors and nurses to affected areas. The target is 20 of the country's 24 states, including areas around the capital Lima.
Last year's dengue outbreak strained Peru's public health system as thousands of people sought treatment in emergency rooms.
The disease is spread by Aedys egyptica, a mosquito that breeds in hot, humid environments.
Most cases of dengue fever have mild symptoms, but the disease can cause severe headache, fever, and muscle pain.
Last year, 18 people died in a dengue fever outbreak in Peru, while 32 Peruvians died from dengue fever in the first two months of this year.
The World Health Organization announced in December that Peru's 2023 dengue outbreak is linked to rain and high temperatures that have increased mosquito populations, especially in northern Peru.
