In the Americas, between epidemiological week (EW) 1 and EW 49 of 2021, a total of 1,324,108 cases 1 of arboviral diseases were reported. Of those, 1,173,674 (89%) were dengue cases, 131,630 were Chikungunya cases, and 18,804 were Zika cases, the PAHO said in a statement.

Cumulative incidence rate of dengue accounted for 118 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, while St. Barthelemy rates first with 1,000, French Guiana (574), St. Martin (521), Brazil (428), Belize (309) and Paraguay (220).

Honduras reported 144, Peru (140), Ecuador (108) and Colombia (95), the text added, as 2019 appeared as the year with the highest number of dengue cases reported in the region (over 3.1 million, 28,203 seriously-ill and 1,773 deaths).

Regarding chikungunya, 99% of those people infected were reported by three countries: Brazil with 127,487 cases (97%), Guatemala with 1,951 (1.5%) and Belize with 737 (0.6%).

In 2021, 21 imported cases were reported, all from the United States and, on the other hand, 11 deaths were reported in Brazil at the same stage.

Concerning Zika, Brazil reported the highest number of cases with 15,903 (85%), followed by Guatemala 1,090 (10%) and Paraguay 474 (2.5%).

Since the first detection in Brazil in March 2015, all nations and territories of the Americas have reported local transmission, except continental Chile, Uruguay and Canada, PAHO stressed.

Given the Covid-19 with dengue and other arboviral diseases, PAHO urged Member States to continue strengthening surveillance, diagnosis and treatment; while asking to draw up some strategies to ease access to health services for people with dengue and other arboviral diseases.

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