Dengue epidemic kills at least 75 people in Brazil in 44 days

The dengue epidemic that has hit Brazil since early 2024 and which President Lula da Silva’s government continues to call “local outbreaks” has already killed at least 75 people. Alarming new figures were published on Tuesday by Brazil’s Ministry of Health.

In addition to these deaths that have already been officially confirmed due to dengue infection, health authorities are investigating another 217 deaths believed to be related to the virus.

The most serious situations with the epidemic are observed in the capital of the country, Brasilia, in Rio de Janeiro, where in just one week the number of infected people increased by 56%, in the city of Sao Paulo and in the states of Parana, in the south of the country – Minas Gerais and Espiritus. Santu, in the southeast – Goias in the center-west and Acre – in the far north.

According to the same partial balance published on Tuesday by the Ministry of Health, the total number of Brazilians infected since the beginning of January reached 512 thousand. The number is four times higher than the number recorded during the same period last year, giving an indication of the speed at which dengue fever is spreading in the country with the mosquito vector’s peak period still two months away. .

Because there were clearly not enough vaccines for everyone who needed immunization, the central government initially began vaccinating only children, leaving out, among others, the elderly and generally more vulnerable people.

In cities such as Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, exclusive centers were set up to care for people with dengue symptoms, while in Brasilia a field hospital was also set up and emergency tents were set up throughout the city.