The figure far exceeds the records of previous years when in the first months of 2023 there were no more than 4,000 cases and in all of 2022 there were 16,000 people diagnosed with the virus.

So far, official data indicate that 15 people have died, six adults and nine children.

The coastal province of Manabí has the highest number of patients and the highest rate of infection.

Also among the most affected territories are Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Los Ríos, El Oro, and Guayas.

The National Institute of Public Health Research (INSPI) identified that three of the four serotypes of the virus are circulating in the country, including DENV-3, which had not been detected before in Ecuador; however, there are cases in Esmeraldas and Cotopaxi.

The MSP indicated that they are training health personnel to improve the identification and management of cases and assured that they are carrying out vector control to eliminate breeding sites of aedes aegipty mosquitoes, the transmitting agent.

They also reported that samples are being taken from confirmed patients for serotyping and genotyping studies.

The accumulation of water in several areas, together with the increase in temperature and humidity has led to an increase in the number of dengue cases.

During this rainy season, there are also reports of an increase in leptospirosis infections due to flooding in the coastal areas of this South American nation.

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