The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an advisory Tuesday informing health care providers of an increased risk of dengue virus infections in the United States.
Cases of the mosquito-borne viral disease have reached a record high in the Americas this year, the agency said, echoing a similar statement from the World Health Organization last month.
The number of dengue cases reported in the Americas exceeded 9.7 million between January 1 and June 24, twice as many as in all of 2023, the CDC said, adding that more higher than expected number of cases has been identified among U.S. travelers.
The agency urged healthcare providers to adopt measures such as promoting preventive measures, proper diagnostic testing, and prompt reporting of dengue cases to public health authorities, among others, in order to stem the spread. spread of infection.
Last month, the WHO “prequalified” Takeda Pharmaceuticals’ Qdenga dengue vaccine, making it eligible for purchase by United Nations agencies such as UNICEF and the Pan American Health Organization.
Qdenga is approved in the European Union and in Indonesia, Thailand, Argentina and Brazil, among others.
French drugmaker Sanofi’s Dengvaxia is also approved in several countries in the Americas, EU and Asia.
Dengue fever, transmitted by the bites of infected Aedes mosquitoes, causes symptoms such as fever, headache, vomiting, rash, and muscle and joint pain. In some cases, it can cause a more serious hemorrhagic fever, leading to bleeding that can be fatal. (Reporting by Mariam Sunny in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri)
