Costa Rica Health News – The Costa Rican Health Ministry announced that only 3,064 people have contracted dengue this year, so far. This number may seem high but it is 71% less than the confirmed cases at the same time last year.
Dengue produces high fever and intense pain throughout the body. Residents of the Limon and Puntarenas provinces seem to be getting the worst of dengue however this year.
Although the number of people affected by dengue has decreased in the rest of the country, 272 cases have been reported in the canton of Matina, Limon alone. That is 169 more than last year. Statistics in Corredores, Puntarenas are even more frightening with 292 confirmed cases this year compared to only 28 last year.
Health Ministry officials report that the dengue virus is actively being transmitted in these two cantons. Dengue is transmitted by the Aedes aegypti and produces high fever as well as intense pain throughout the body. Scientists have confirmed that only types 1, 2 and 3 are present in the country.
Authorities encourage people to clean up their properties and report all still water where mosquitoes might reproduce. The country is increasing preventative measures upon the threat of another virus, the chikungunya. This is also transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and causes similar primary symptoms but can cause rheumatoid arthritis in special untreated cases.
