Dengue Mosquito
Pixabay

Latin American countries are now battling against two epidemics as health officials report a rising number of dengue cases.

Medical experts say the COVID-19 has pulled the attention away from the deadly disease. Authorities have documented cases of people experience dengue-like symptoms in countries such as Paraguay, Ecuador, and Colombia. However, infected individuals continuously refuse to seek proper medical attention in hospitals due to coronavirus fears.

Other countries in the Americas, such as Panama and Costa Rica, said the dengue fever is still claiming the lives of people. At the same time, the international scene is focused on fighting to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), 2020 will be marked by a high rate of dengue cases. The organization said it expects the intensive care units, and the morgues will be filled with people afflicted with the mosquito-borne disease even without the pressure of the coronavirus crisis.

In Costa Rica, the health ministry has called on the public to eradicate possible mosquito breeding grounds after officials reported more than 1,760 dengue cases between January and March.

In Ecuador, health officials have reported a surge in dengue infections with 888 recorded cases on March 14, two weeks after they reported the first case of COVID-19 in the country. On April 4, they reported an additional 257.

Esteban Ortiz, a global health researcher, claimed dengue cases are being under-reported in Ecuador. He said the decrease in cases stemmed from fewer diagnoses of the disease.

"Their health system has totally collapsed," he added.

Ecuador's health ministry denounced the allegations and said the region has enough medical supplies to treat both the new coronavirus disease and the dengue outbreak.

A PAHO report said the dengue epidemic in Latin America started in late 2018 and has surged to an all-time high of 3.1 million in 2019. More than 1,500 individuals died due to the disease. The report states the infection should begin to decline by July.

Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection that is prominent in tropical countries, including Central and South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Symptoms usually begin four to six days after transmission and can include high fever, muscle pain, vomiting, skin rash, and mild bleeding.

The dengue epidemic occurs three to five years after the previous outbreak. Health agencies have discovered four strains in circulation, leading some to catch the disease more than once. A second case of the infection is more likely to develop severe symptoms.

Younger people who have never been infected before tend to experience milder cases than adults. However, the disease can develop into a hemorrhagic fever where lymph and blood vessels are damaged, the liver enlarges, and the circulatory system fails. The symptoms may progress to a fatal stage, which can lead to massive bleeding, shock, and, eventually, death.

Most dengue cases are not fatal and can be treated using painkillers. Some patients are left with persistent symptoms, which include fatigue, weight loss, and depression. Doctors use intravenous fluids to treat severe cases of dengue. People who do not get tested risk developing dangerous, and sometimes fatal, complications.

Read the latest news from the Americas: