In just one week, São Paulo state saw a sharp 52% increase in the number of dengue deaths, raising urgent public health concerns. As of the 26th, 139 deaths have been confirmed, a significant jump from the 91 deaths previously reported. This situation highlights how dangerous and fast dengue fever is spreading at this strange start to the year.
In parallel with the increase in deaths, confirmed cases of the disease also witnessed a significant increase of 28%, jumping from 259,000 to 332,000. As a result, the volume of notifications exceeded the 781 thousand mark, indicating a wide spread of the carrier. São Paulo, the country's largest city, tops the tragic rankings with 19 deaths, followed by Guarulhos and Taubate, indicating a growing health problem in the capital region.
How is São Paulo facing this epidemic?
The harsh reality of the exponential growth of dengue forced the state and the capital to declare a state of emergency. This measure aims to accelerate the implementation of measures to combat the disease, which already affects 77% of areas in the city of São Paulo, placing the area in an epidemiological classification by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Health.
What are the symptoms of dengue fever that one should be aware of?
Dengue fever manifests itself through symptoms such as high temperature, body aches, pain behind the eyes, malaise, lack of appetite, headache, and red spots on the body. These symptoms are a warning sign to seek immediate medical advice, which is crucial to prevent the disease from getting worse.
Brazil: A look at the national epidemic
It's not just Sao Paulo -The scenario is worrying. Brazil is experiencing an unprecedented dengue epidemic. The number of potential cases already exceeds 2.2 million in the first 81 days of the year, a record number that puts the country on alert. In addition to São Paulo, nine other states and the Federal District have declared states of emergency, illustrating the national scale of the problem.
Hope on the horizon: vaccination against dengue fever
In the face of the growing dengue crisis, the Ministry of Health announced plans to redistribute unused vaccines to areas experiencing a state of emergency. This decision comes after a decline in commitment to the vaccination campaign that began last February. Through the new classification strategy, the goal is to expand vaccination coverage in critical states and municipalities, in an attempt to contain the spread of the disease.
Conclusively, given the alarming rise in dengue cases and deaths in São Paulo and other parts of the country, coordinated action and widespread commitment to vaccination emerge as key pillars of containing this epidemic. The moment requires the awareness of everyone, from public authorities to citizens, in the fight against dengue.
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