Alert for increase in dengue in Mexico; call for preventative measures

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A recent report reveals that dengue cases in Mexico have increased by an alarming 183% during week 30 of 2023, compared to the same period of the previous year. Sofía del Carmen Sánchez Piña, an academic from the Faculty of Nursing and Obstetrics at UNAM, highlighted the urgent need to adopt preventive measures and encourage community participation in the fight against this disease.

Urban growth and industrial development contribute to the problem

According to Sánchez Piña, the increase in cases is linked to various socioeconomic factors, including the growth of urban and coastal areas, the development of industrial ports, and the increase in waste, especially bottles and tires, which serve as breeding grounds for the Aedes aegypti mosquito. disease vector.

“The production of disposable bottles has grown 4.4 times and that of tires 6.2 times in three decades. This shows that the absence of effective environmental policies aggravates the situation”, he explained.

Insufficiency of preventive measures

The National Epidemiological Surveillance System reported 7,295 confirmed cases of dengue in week 30 of this year, compared to 2,518 cases during the same period in 2022. Quintana Roo, Veracruz, Yucatán and Puebla are the most affected states, concentrating 73 % of the cases.

Sánchez Piña stresses that, despite the seriousness of the problem, a community approach to preventive measures is still lacking. "It is crucial to resume prevention actions, train health personnel in handling clinical data and laboratory tests, and above all, involve communities at risk," urged the expert.

community is key

A guide for community participation in the prevention and control of dengue is already available through the Ministry of Health. The expert recalled that the active participation of the community, especially in cleaning and disposal campaigns, is vital to mitigate the spread of the disease.

global alert

On International Dengue Day, the World Health Organization announced that almost half of the world's population is at risk of contracting the disease. The American continent has experienced a significant increase in cases in 2023, surpassing even the record numbers of 2019.

To silence myths and misinformation

Popularly known in some regions as “trancazo” or “quebradora”, dengue is often confused with other viral infections. Sánchez Piña warns that self-medication and the lack of adequate medical attention contribute to the underreporting of the condition.

To face this growing public health problem, it is imperative that both authorities and citizens take immediate action, stressing the importance of education, prevention, and community participation in the fight against dengue.

Global UNAM

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