Over 10,000 dengue cases registered in Mexico

In a country as diverse as Mexico , all areas are different from one another and each one is affected by different illnesses . In tropical areas, especially in southern Mexico, dengue is ever-present during spring and summer ; in contrast, in the highlands, this illness doesn't exist.

Thanks to its season character and the identification of its origin, dengue transmitted through a mosquito bite , authorities deploy prevention brigades every year, in order to reduce the negative effects to the minimum. Weeks before the dengue season starts, the government launches a prevention campaign to raise awareness among society so that they avoid accumulating water in recipients, an ideal place for the reproduction of the dengue mosquito ; also, authorities fumigate in order to eradicate the insect .

In 2019 , the situation was quite different from previous years. The confirmed dengue cases tripled in contrast with 2018 . According to the Health Ministry's latest Epidemiological Monitoring Weekly Report , from August 25, they have confirmed 10,211 dengue cases , 3,253 of these cases are considered as “severe dengue .” In contrast, on the same date in 2018 , authorities confirmed 3,196 cases and 1,560 of them were severe cases.

For authorities, the spike is “normal,” it is “slightly above average but inside the expected range.” Experts from the Cinvestav don't agree. They confirm that dengue has cycles where there is an increase every three or fours years but tripling the numbers, in contrast with the previous years, is not “normal.”

The situation worsened at the same time as the current administratio n has rarely bought insecticide in the last 8 months. The National Center of Preventive Programs and Disease Control , under the Health Ministry , was granted an MXN $192,371,000 budget to purchase insecticides but the center made the first purchase in August.

The high dengue rates seem to be the result of the federal austerity policy and not a cyclical outbreak . The expense control policies taken to the extreme could be the cause behind over 10,000 dengue cases . Once again, those affected by budget cuts are those in need. Let's not forget that this virus has a deathly potential if it is not treated or if it is hemorrhagic dengue . Prevention should never be considered as squandering.

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