Dengue Fever Returns to Paraguay After 1,700 New Cases Reported

The Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare of Paraguay reported Saturday that the number of people infected with the dengue virus rose to 1,675 this week.

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The majority of these cases are appearing along Brazil’s border, in the department of Alto Parana, in southeast Paraguay.

Medical reports show that some 6,278 have been registered throughout the country so far, with the departments Amambay (east) and Itapua (south) showing the highest amount of concentration.

The ministry renewed its recommendation to the public to avoid traveling to these areas, particularly around the Easter holidays as the warmer temperatures are likely to stimulate the Aedes aegypti mosquito’s activity.

Dengue is a flu-like illness with the following symptoms: high fever, headache, vomiting, muscle and joint pains, and a characteristic skin rash. The symptoms surface four to ten days after infection.

Dengue is transported by are the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is also responsible for Zika and Chikungunya diseases.

The Public Health Office reported that in the last week there was a new case of chikungunya in the district of Caballero , in the department of Paraguarí, bringing the total of 6 affected in that region and 11 throughout the country, with 4 in the Central department and one in Alto Parana.