O Brazil is if approaching the mark of a thousand deaths from dengue in 2024, potentially exceeding that recorded in the entire year 2023 (1,016). According to data from the Ministry of Health, until the early hours of this Wednesday (3), 991 deaths from the diseasewhile another 1,483 are under investigation.
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In relation to probable cases of denguethe number already reaches 2,624,300 – which means that the incidence rate of the disease, for every 100 thousand inhabitants, is 1292.4. The state of Minas Gerais continues to lead the number of infections, with 851,128 thousand records. Next come São Paulo (546,462) and Paraná (251,267).
To date, 407 municipal and 11 state emergency decrees have been published due to dengue, allowing the adoption of administrative measures to contain the disease, in particular the acquisition of inputs and materials. São Paulo was the most recent state to declare an emergency situation in public health due to dengue.
This week, the Secretary of Health and Environmental Surveillance of the Ministry of Health, Ethel Maciel, reported that there is a downward trend in the number of probable cases in the Federal District and in six states: Acre, Amazonas, Goiás, Minas Gerais, Piauí and Roraima . “That’s where the epidemic began. For these, we can say that the worst is over,” she said.
To date, more than 500 municipalities in 16 states and the Federal District have already started vaccinating against dengue, targeting the first applications to children aged 10 and 14. This week, the Ministry of Health sent a new batch of vaccines, covering another 165 municipalities with doses.
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While vaccination is not available for all age groups, the ministry reinforces that vector control Aedes aegyptii is the main method for preventing and controlling dengue and other urban arboviruses (such as chikungunya and zika), whether through integrated vector management or personal prevention within households.
Here’s how to protect yourself:
- Replace the water in the plant pot dishes with sand;
- Leave the water tank covered;
- Keep swimming pools clean;
- Remove from the environment all material that can accumulate water, such as tires and bottles;
- Unclog gutters, slabs and drains;
- Wash the edges of containers that accumulate water with soap and a brush and throw the larvae onto the earth or dry ground;
- Store buckets and bottles with the mouth facing down;
- Use window screens in known transmission areas.
Should I use repellent?
The answer is yes. According to the Ministry of Health, use is recommended, above all, in areas of known dengue transmission. The product should be applied to exposed areas of the body, such as arms, legs and feet. Repellents for use in the environment, such as tablets and electrical devices, are also recommended, as they keep mosquitoes away.
