Dengue getting worse in El Salvador

In recent months dengue has gotten worse in El Salvador, a trend that has turned combating the disease into a national priority. According to the PAHO/WHO Representative in El Salvador, by June 15, the number of clinical cases of Dengue reached 1301 (an incidence rate of 20.28 per 100 thousand population), 92% (1200) of which are the classical type and 8% (101) are of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF). Children between the ages of 5 and 9 years are most affected. To date, six children have died, four of whom have been confirmed, while the status of the other two is currently under study.

During the last 7 years, only dengue serotype DEN-2 has been reported in El Salvador; now DEN-1 has been detected, a development that increases the risk of DHF. The country has not reported DEN serotype in three years, nor have they reported serotype DEN-4 in the past six years. Read Article