Costa Rica Dengue Outbreak Accelerates

The Republic of Costa Rica Ministry of Health continues to monitor work on dengue cases in different areas such as Sarapiquí and Río Cuarto.

As of May 9, 2023, epidemiological week #16, a total of 1,179 cases of dengue were reported, with the Huetar Caribe and Central Sur regions presenting the most cases.

Given the previous declaration of a dengue outbreak by the North Central Region, a total of seven officers were displaced to work in the town of Santa Rita and Río Cuarto to assist with fumigation efforts.

Costa Rica was included in the U.S. CDC's recent dengue outbreak travel advisory for the Americas.

Almost half of the world's population, about 4 billion people, live in areas with a risk of dengue. Moreover, dengue is often a leading cause of illness in high-risk areas, says the U.S. CDC.

Dengue is caused by one of four related viruses. For this reason, people can be infected with dengue multiple times in their life.

Approximately 1 in 20 patients with dengue virus disease progress to develop a severe, life-threatening disease called severe dengue.

Dengue vaccines are approved and available in certain countries as of May 11, 2023.

Additional Costa Rica disease outbreak news is posted by Vax-Before-Travel.