With official figures reporting nearly 8,000 cases of dengue fever, Argentina’s Ministry of Health has said that the outbreak of disease in the country has worsened to an epidemic.
“Dengue is here to stay,” said Health Minister Graciela Ocaña on Wednesday, 7th April. This was the first official admission that hinted at the seriousness of the situation. She added that “it is not controllable but preventable”, and stressed that the commitment of every citizen is needed to solve this issue.
The first cases of the mosquito-transmitted disease appeared in January in the northern regions of the country. Since then, the illness has spread southwards and cases have been recorded in the provinces of Córdoba, Santa Fe, Buenos Aires and even the capital. Seven people have died as a result of infection.
As of 6th April, there were 7,410 confirmed cases in the country according to statistics provided by the Ministry of Health. The majority of these cases have appeared in the north. The province of Chaco has been most affected with 3,506 reported cases in the north-eastern region. While in the northwest, Catamarca has recorded 2,349 cases and Salta 1,259.
Further south, the numbers are less shocking. In the province of Buenos Aires, 35 cases have been confirmed, while 66 people are reported to be infected in the capital.
According to reports, all of the cases in the central regions are imported, meaning that they were not locally transmitted. On the other hand, 98% of the cases in the north are indigenous.
“There are nearly 8,000 reported cases, but for each reported case there are usually eight or nine that are unreported,” said Ricardo Gurtler, an investigator with CONICET and the Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences at the University of Buenos Aires (UBA).
Controversy
The number of cases and worries about an epidemic has led to a debate over the figures. Statistics reported by the provincial governments have not coincided with national records. Some have alleged that officials deliberately concealed information about the outbreak.
While some accused officials of hiding the true figures from the public to cover up the delay in the implementation of preventative measures, others alleged that provincial governors reported false data in order to avoid damaging their campaigns in the upcoming June elections.
The health minister has negated all claims that any information regarding the situation was hidden. She did admit that the lack of doctors in areas like Chaco and Catamarca delayed registration of the cases on a national level and exacerbated the outbreak.
“To make a political dispute about this would be a mistake, because nobody can be divided at this point; there are different interests in some places, but I want to make it clear that here, nothing will be hidden,” she said.
Mosquitoes Are the Enemy
Dengue is virally transmitted by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, which is recognised by white markings on its legs and body. The virus can present itself in four serotypes, which can develop into classic dengue or the more serious hemorrhagic dengue. The disease causes flu-like symptoms such as fever and joint pain.
The Ministry of Health has undertaken various preventative measures to combat the transmission of dengue. For several weeks, large volumes of insecticide and larvicide have been sprayed throughout the north to eradicate the adult mosquito population and their larvae. According to Gurtler, this is standard practice with an outbreak.
A national and provincial campaign has also been launched to educate the people on how to further prevent transmission. The public are being encouraged to empty and clean any containers that accumulate water and become breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Additionally, they are recommended to apply repellent every three hours and wear thick clothing.
Nicolás Schweigmann, an investigator with a group studying mosquitoes at the UBA, stressed that prevention is “a question of cleanliness”. He explained that is necessary to empty and clean vases, bottles and other containers that can accumulate stagnant water.
“We need to fight, the common enemy is the mosquito,” said Ocaña. “Everyone needs to begin at home to take responsibility for their own environment health.”
Should We Worry?
Authorities have agreed that the situation is very serious. Schweigmann described how this is the first time in Argentina that an epidemic has appeared in the north where the transmission is local. “This is worrying for dengue experts all over the world and it is a question as to why it has moved south,” he added.
On the other hand, since the reappearance of dengue in the country in 1997, similar outbreaks have been seen in places like Chaco. These are usually linked to outbreaks in Bolivia. “This situation has been going on and off for a decade,” observed Gurtler. “The major outbreak in Bolivia has combined with the outbreak in the north of the country.” He went on to explain that the country has a large infestation of Aegis Aegypti, which means that the conditions are right for an influx in cases.
“I think the situation us under control because of the latest preventative operations employed by the government,” said Gurtler.
“The likelihood of an outbreak in Buenos Aires is low but not zero,” he added. “I disagree with the people who say we are on the verge of an outbreak in Buenos Aires.”
He explained that the peak of infestation is usually from February to April because when the temperature begins to drop, most mosquitoes die. “There are predictions that we will have a longer autumn, which may mean more mosquitoes. But to have an outbreak, you need to have a lot of people carrying the disease in their bloodstream,” he said. “We are already seeing a decline in the number of reported cases.”
“If both the federal and provincial governments are taking care of the outbreak in northern Argentina, then there will be no source of dengue in the capital or the greater province of Buenos Aires,” he concluded.