Brazil records 2.3 million probable cases of dengue and 831 confirmed deaths from the disease – News

Brazil reached the mark of 831 deaths from dengue and 2,321,050 probable cases of the disease in 2024, according to data released by the Ministry of Health this Wednesday (27). The numbers correspond to cases registered until Saturday (24). The Federal District remains the federation unit with the highest incidence rate of cases, followed by Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, Paraná and Goiás. Federal government technicians also warned of the dangers of self-medication and highlighted the importance of seeking medical care from the first symptoms, such as fever and body aches.

A public health emergency due to dengue has already been declared in the Federal District and in 10 states: Acre, Amapá, Goiás, Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, Paraná, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina and São Paulo. In addition, 407 municipalities also declared an emergency. Minas Gerais (199), São Paulo (66) and Santa Catarina (41) lead the ranking of cities with the most publications.

Health Surveillance Secretary Ethel Maciel explained that the fight against the disease must be focused on the larvae, and not on the adult mosquito. “When we use fumigation, the one most known to people, it means that the entire strategy has already failed because we are fighting the adult mosquito. It is very difficult to fight the adult mosquito, we have to focus our strategy on the larvicide, on not letting the mosquitoes are born”, he highlights.

Vaccines

The vaccine is available for the age group between 10 and 14 years old. Given the low demand and the risk of doses expiring, the Ministry of Health will expand the immunization areas, which were previously selected only for cities with high transmissions. From now on, another 154 municipalities in six states.

Check the list of new regions

– Espírito Santo – central region;
– Minas Gerais – Betim, Uberaba, Uberlândia and Araguari;
– Pernambuco – Recife;
– Paraná: Apucarana;
– Santa Catarina: Greater Florianópolis;
– São Paulo: Guarani Aquifer, metropolitan region of Campinas, São José do Rio Preto and São Paulo.

Main symptoms

High fever (above 38 °C), pain in the body and joints, pain behind the eyes, malaise, lack of appetite, headache and red spots on the body are the most common symptoms. However, dengue infection can also be asymptomatic or present with mild symptoms.

Dangers of self-medication

The Ministry of Health warned the population that some medicines can cause serious reactions, bleeding and even, if dengue or chikungunya are not treated properly, they can lead to the patient’s death. Therefore, department technicians ask patients to avoid self-medication, and seek medical attention at the onset of symptoms.

“Another point of attention is the use of alternative treatments such as home remedies. Although some people resort to these methods in the hope of relieving symptoms, experts warn of the risks associated with this approach. There are no magical solutions to cure dengue, but it is still common to ingest juices and teas made from fruits or plants such as boldo, yam, sugar cane and lemon as a mitigation against the symptoms of the disease. However, there is no scientific evidence to support the effectiveness of these methods”, highlights the folder.