Brazil launches dengue vaccination amid outbreak

Brazil launched a dengue fever immunization marketing campaign Friday, turning into the primary nation on this planet to supply the vaccine via its public well being system because it offers with a surge in circumstances.

Well being authorities registered greater than 395,000 possible circumstances of the mosquito-borne illness within the first 5 weeks of the 12 months, 4 instances greater than the identical interval final 12 months.

No less than 53 individuals have died of dengue within the current outbreak, with officers nonetheless analyzing whether or not the illness was liable for 281 different deaths.

With the nation’s famed carnival celebrations getting underneath manner—fueling fears of additional transmission—President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s well being minister, Nisia Trindade, formally launched the vaccination drive within the capital, Brasilia.

“Even with out the present epidemic we might have began this vaccination marketing campaign, as a result of dengue is a long-standing well being drawback,” she instructed journalists.

The vaccine, often called Qdenga, is produced by Japanese pharmaceutical agency Takeda.

Provide shortages imply Brazil will solely administer it to kids ages 10 to 11 at first.

Officers hope to achieve 3.2 million of Brazil’s 203 million individuals by the tip of the 12 months.

The federal government says it’s learning choices to supply a vaccine domestically.

Dengue, which might trigger hemorrhagic fever, infects an estimated 100 million to 400 million individuals yearly, although most circumstances are gentle or asymptomatic, based on the World Well being Group.

Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil’s most populous cities, have each taken emergency measures to include dengue forward of carnival, which attracts thousands and thousands of vacationers from world wide.

© 2024 AFP