Yellow alert for dengue declared in four departments of Peru

Via Living in Peru :

" The Ministry of Health has declared a yellow alert for 60 days for the health centers in the departments of Loreto, Madre de Dios, San Martín and Amazonas, due to the persistence and extent of dengue fever.

According to the technical report, the prevalence of dengue may be due to climate factors, as well as difficulty in controlling the virus.

The General Bureau of National Defense, through the Regional Directorates of Health, will disseminate, monitor and evaluate the implementation of this resolution, Andina reports.

Dengue is transmitted by the mosquito Aedes aegypti and among its symptoms are high fever and headaches, as well as muscle and bone aches. In some cases, when the disease is severe, there may be bruising and bleeding.

In February health authorities declared a red alert in Peru's northern Amazon jungle region following the outbreak of an "very aggressive" dengue strain that lead to the death of 14 people and affected thousands.

Dengue is endemic to the jungle region, but until now Peru has largely dealt with the American strain of the disease."