2,712 Dengue Cases Confirmed in Costa Rica

Since the beginning of 2023, dengue outbreaks of significant magnitude have been recorded in the WHO Region of the Americas, with close to three million suspected and confirmed cases of dengue reported as of July 19, 2023.

This total surpassed the 2.8 million cases of dengue registered for the entire year of 2022.

The WHO has assessed the risk of dengue as high at the regional level since all four dengue virus serotypes are present in the Region of the Americas.

One example of these dengue outbreaks is Costa Rica.

As of EW #25, there have been 2,712 reported dengue cases, which is 16% higher compared to the same period in 2022 and 19% higher compared to the average of the last five years.

Almost half of the world’s population, about 4 billion people, live in areas with a risk of dengue. Dengue is often a leading cause of illness in areas with risk, says the U.S. CDC.

In the U.S., Florida continues to report both locally-acquired and travel-related dengue cases in July 2023.

Symptoms can be mild or severe for people who get sick with dengue. However, severe dengue can be life-threatening within a few hours and often requires care at a hospital.

Dengue viruses are spread to people through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito.

The WHO does not recommend travel restrictions for countries in the Americas experiencing dengue epidemics based on the currently available information.

From a disease prevention perspective, two approved dengue vaccines (Qdenga and Dengvaxia) are available in certain countries in 2023.