Emergency measures in Peru as dengue deaths triple
STORY: Dengue-related deaths in Peru have tripled this year, according to the government, which says it is stepping up efforts to curb an epidemic of the disease, especially in poorer regions.
Health officials this week fumigated poor neighborhoods across the capital, Lima, targeting areas like cemeteries where mosquitoes have been found to breed in water-filled vases placed at graves.
Peru's health ministry as of Thursday reported 117 deaths from dengue this year, compared to just 33 during the same period last year.
Suspected cases have also skyrocketed, reaching around 135,000.
Peru's government this week approved an emergency decree allowing special economic measures to support efforts to control the outbreak.
Experts say the dengue outbreak in Peru is made worse by climate change.
Peru has been dealing with high temperatures and heavy rainfall since 2023 due to the El Nino weather pattern, which has warmed the seas off its coastline.
Augusto Tarazona, an epidemiologist at the University of Lima, told Reuters the Aedes Aegypti mosquito has been adapting to Peru's climate.
"What's currently happening is that the mosquito has been adapting to climate change and has been reproducing at a faster rate than in previous years, affecting many regions where it was not present in previous years."
Mild symptoms of dengue include nausea, rashes and body aches, while a rarer, severe form, which is more dangerous for infants and pregnant women, can cause internal bleeding and is potentially fatal.
