A record surge in dengue cases in Latin America spurs a warning for proactive measures

As of March, more than 3.5 million cases of the mosquito-transmitted dengue and more than 1,000 deaths have been reported in the region, according to the Pan American Health Organization.

A record surge in dengue cases throughout Latin America and the Caribbean prompted the head of the Pan American Health Organization to warn of the need for proactive measures to curb the virus that is transmitted by mosquitoes.

PAHO Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa said in a press briefing Thursday that as of March 26, the region had seen more than 3.5 million cases of dengue and more than 1,000 deaths.

"This is cause for concern, as it represents three times more cases than those reported for the same period in 2023, a record year with more than 4.5 million cases reported in the region,” he said.

As of March, the hardest-hit countries in Latin America are Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina — which have accounted for 92% of the dengue cases and 87% of the deaths — where mosquitoes have thrived because of the warm and rainy weather this time of year.