How to protect yourself from dengue mosquito?

4:52

(CNN) --

The dengue epidemic is increasing in Brazil, where the number of cases recorded so far in 2024 has already exceeded that recorded throughout 2023, according to figures from the Ministry of Health of the South American country.

In the first 10 weeks of this year, the Ministry counted 1,684,781 cases, when in all of last year there were 1,658,814.

This means that in 2024, 25,967 more cases have already been recorded compared to 2023.

The week of 2024 in which they were counted was number 8, with 288,598.

  • How to prevent dengue effectively?

Since the first weeks of the year, the Ministry has warned that dengue cases have an increasing trend.

Until now, the federal entities with the highest incidence are the Federal District, Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo.

The deaths caused by this disease total 513 so far in 2024. In all of 2023 there were 1,094.

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Given the situation, the authorities of Brazil – the country with the most cases in America – have taken measures such as launching a vaccination campaign and increasing calls for citizens to adopt preventive measures.

In a publication on its website, the Ministry of Health indicates that the main measure to prevent dengue is to prevent the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which transmits the virus that causes this disease, from reproducing.

To avoid the formation of mosquito breeding sites, the institution recommends that families correctly close all the water tanks in their homes and do not let it accumulate in points such as flower pots, drains or old tires.

It also asks people to contact health authorities if they have symptoms such as high fever, muscle or joint pain, diarrhea or frequent vomiting.

These measures coincide with those that specialists have shared with CNN.

The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that the increase in dengue cases this year is a trend that is observed in practically the entire planet, with the exception of Europe, and is associated with climate change, increased temperatures and unexpected rains that generate floods.

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