International News: Honduras declares National Health Emergency as Dengue Cases Surge

By Zoila Palma Gonzalez: On May 31, 2024, the Ministry of Health in Honduras declared a National health emergency following a concerning surge in dengue-related hospitalizations and fatalities.

The Government has directed all Health authorities to undertake all necessary measures, including the implementation of preventative and control strategies, and the allocation of resources to manage the outbreak effectively.

According to data from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Honduras has reported a staggering 23,037 suspected cases of dengue within the first 20 weeks of this year. 

This figure places the nation among the highest in the Americas in terms of reported cases.

Across the entire region, the cumulative count has exceeded 8.65 million cases during the initial five months of 2024, nearly doubling the total reported for the entirety of 2023, which itself set a record.

Central America and the Caribbean are now entering their peak dengue seasons, according to PAHO.

“Honduras has entered the epidemic zone due to the increase in cases in all departments of the country, as well as the number of patient admissions in all hospitals in the country due to this disease,” the Honduran health ministry said Friday.

Honduras currently ranks second in reported dengue cases within the Central American Isthmus and Mexico Subregion for the year, with Mexico leading with over 69,000 cases.

PAHO, in collaboration with the World Health Organization, urges countries within these regions to proactively prepare for the upsurge in dengue cases. 

Dengue, a mosquito-borne virus transmitted primarily through the Aedes aegypti mosquito, is also known to carry other viruses such as yellow fever, chikungunya, and Zika, as noted by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

Symptoms typically resemble those of influenza and, in severe cases, can lead to fatalities.

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