Argentina sees over half million dengue cases in 2024

BUENOS AIRES, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Argentina has detected 504,580 cases of dengue so far this year, an outbreak that is 3.26 times larger than a year before, driven by infections in the Central region, the Health Ministry said Sunday.

The number of cases represents 97 percent of the 521,746 total cases registered during 2023's dengue season from week 31 of 2023 to week 22 of 2024, according to the ministry's National Epidemiological Bulletin.

The Central region registered the highest number of cases, representing 61.9 percent of the total, followed by the Northwest region at 22.8 percent and the Northeast region at 13.1 percent.

The disease is spreading locally in 19 of the 24 districts of the South American country and has caused a total of 365 deaths this season, among which 355 were registered in 2024.

Deaths occurred among "all age groups," but the highest mortality rate was among those aged 80 or over, the bulletin said, adding that the most frequent signs and symptoms among the fatalities were fever, headache, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.

A vaccination campaign has been launched in priority districts mainly for people aged 15 to 39. ■