Rio de Janeiro announces the end of the city’s dengue epidemic

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil’s second most populous city, has declared the end of its dengue epidemic in the municipality that was one of the first to declare a state of emergency over the disease. This announcement does not mean that there are no more cases of dengue in the city, but rather that the number and severity of cases of the disease have decreased significantly.

The statement was made by Municipal Health Minister Daniel Sorantz, who classified the current situation as completely under control, adding, however, that some sanitary measures against the disease will be maintained, mainly the active search and destruction of outbreaks of the transmitting virus. mosquito. Sorans also stated that despite the city’s high number of dengue cases since the start of the year – more than 81 thousand – only seven deaths from the disease have been confirmed, a number that may be regretted but which represents a much lower death toll than expected. .

The health structures that were deployed to combat dengue fever and care for patients will be used to tackle another health problem affecting Rio de Janeiro and much of Brazil: the influenza outbreak. Dengue’s annual cycles usually peak between April and May, but this year the disease arrived earlier in Rio de Janeiro and has also begun to reverse earlier than usual.

As of Friday, the number of dengue cases in Rio de Janeiro state reached 172,000, with 71 deaths confirmed. Although the city of Rio de Janeiro has declared an end to the epidemic, more than 400 other cities across Brazil and 11 of the country’s 27 states remain in a state of public health emergency due to the disease, which had infected more than 2.3 million people until this week . people, the highest number in history, resulting in the deaths of at least 831 of these patients.