Read Relevant News: https://timeglitter.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------ In a stark reversal of the declining trend observed between 2020 and 2022 amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a concerning declaration on Friday, noting a significant upsurge in global dengue cases.
This resurgence is characterized by a noteworthy increase in numbers and scale, coupled with simultaneous outbreaks in regions previously unaffected by the disease, gripping the entire world.
Over the last two decades, the global incidence of dengue has transformed into a formidable public health challenge. WHO data indicates a ten-fold increase in reported cases worldwide from 2000 to 2019, reaching an unprecedented peak in 2019 across 129 countries.
The usual cyclic nature of dengue transmission, marked by large outbreaks every 3-4 years, experienced a unique dynamic during the Covid-19 pandemic. Varied transmission rates resulted in an accumulation of individuals lacking immunity to specific dengue virus serotypes.
Since the beginning of 2023, ongoing transmission and an unexpected surge in cases have propelled the global count to a historic high, surpassing five million cases and over 5000 dengue-related deaths.
Affected regions span 80 countries and territories, encompassing five WHO regions: Africa, America, South-East Asia, the Western Pacific, and the Eastern Mediterranean. The Region of the Americas bears the majority of the burden, reporting close to 80% of cases.
Notably, the WHO European Region has also witnessed clusters of autochthonous dengue, underscoring the broadening geographic impact of the epidemic. However, reported figures likely underestimate the true burden due to asymptomatic cases and the lack of mandatory reporting in numerous countries.
Several factors contribute to the escalating risk of dengue spread, including changing vector distribution, the El Nino phenomenon, and climate change leading to adverse weather conditions. Fragile health systems, compounded by the Covid-19 pandemic and political and financial instabilities in crisis-ridden countries, pose additional challenges to epidemic response.
The WHO has assessed the global risk as high, acknowledging the increasing transmission risk and the surge in cases and deaths.
