Puerto Rico has seen a sharp increase in dengue fever cases.
The infection has been on the rise in many regions of Central and South America, pushing Puerto Rico to declare a public health emergency.
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Puerto Rican officials revealed Monday that nearly 550 cases of dengue fever have been reported this year so far, with more than 340 people hospitalized due to the illness.
“As of March 21, 2024, the Department of Health’s epidemiological surveillance of diseases has observed a 140% increase in dengue cases compared to the same period last year,” reads a department release.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the virus is spread through mosquito bites. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, and fevers, and most people are expected to recover after about a week or so.
More severe cases, however, may result in “shock, internal bleeding, and even death,” says the CDC.
The CDC continues to note that there is no specific medicinal treatment of dengue, although there is a vaccine to protect against infection.
The last time Puerto Rico declared a dengue epidemic was in 2012. Almost 1,300 cases were confirmed in the United States territory in all of 2023.
USA Today notes that the CDC issued a Level 1 travel warning in February to American travelers regarding dengue cases abroad. Below are the countries witnessing a rise in dengue cases:
- Argentina
- Brazil
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- French Guiana
- Guadeloupe
- Guatemala
- Haiti
- Jamaica
- Martinique
- Mexico
- Nicaragua
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Saint Barthelemy
- Saint Martin
- Turks and Caicos Islands
The Associated Press contributed to this report.