Brazil's’ Dengue Fever Epidemic Introduction

Military to fight Dengue fever in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

24-Mar-2008

The Military are being used to tackle outbreaks of Dengue fever in Brazil.

According to Brazil's Defence Minister Nelson Jobim, the military is standing by to help the city of Rio de Janeiro deal with soaring numbers of Dengue fever cases.

Health authorities say to date there have been more than 33,000 cases of Dengue already this year which one doctor has termed as a catastrophe.

Since the beginning of the year across the state of Rio, 49 people have died from the potentially deadly fever, the vast majority of victims have been in the city itself, with hospitals struggling to cope.

Dengue fever is a disease bourne by the Aedes mosquito which causes high temperatures, headaches and muscle pain and in some forms can be a killer; there is no vaccine or drug to treat it.

Urban areas where stagnant waters prevail are an attractive breeding ground for mosquitoes.

While overall in Brazil officials say cases have fallen, in the state of Rio de Janeiro there has been a significant rise with public hospitals in the northern and western districts of the city overwhelmed by the number of patients seeking treatment.

The latest victims are reported to be a seven-month-old baby girl and a 12-year-old boy.

The idea of setting up military hospitals in areas which have been worst affected has been proposed amongst growing criticism of the authorities for their handling of the crisis.

The local doctors' union has gone so far as to urge for health officials to be charged with criminal negligence.

While Mr Jobim has not blamed any specific authority, he says there has been a "leniency in the campaign against Dengue" for which a price is now being paid.

A crisis centre is expected to be in operation shortly advising children and adolescents, who have been among the worst affected by the outbreak, to wear long trousers, socks and shoes to help prevent mosquito bites.

Easter holiday leave has also been cancelled for doctors, with hospitals now reporting more than 2,000 new cases each day.