The
Ministry of Health (Minsa) on Wednesday will submit a proposal to the Council of Ministers to extend the coverage of the state of health emergency —in response to the dengue outbreak— to 20 regions across the country, for a period of 120 days,
the sector's head Rosa Gutierrez announced.
Thus, the number of regions under the state of health emergency —declared last February via
Supreme Decree No. 002-2023-SA— will increase from 13 to 20.
"The extension of the state of health emergency will allow us to intensify prevention and control efforts throughout the Peruvian territory. I encourage families to join the fight against dengue," the government official stated.
Gutierrez remarked that a S/35 million (about US$9.46 million) budget will be available under this measure in order to intensify and accelerate control interventions for this disease among the population.
At a press conference, accompanied by Minsa authorities, the minister called on mayors to join this preventive campaign, by cleaning ponds and stagnant water.
The Cabinet member reported that 69,534 cases of dengue and 62 deaths from the disease have been reported in the country so far this year.
"The number of cases and deaths fell in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 from a peak of 67,280 and 89 in 2017, respectively," the high-ranking official explained.
"It was in 2022, when a new outbreak was detected. Such outbreak is related to a weather factor," she added.
Furthermore, Gutierrez noted that, to date, the mosquito that transmits dengue is present in all districts across Metropolitan Lima, with the exception of Magdalena del Mar.
(END) DOP/MAO/RMB/MVB
Publicado: 10/5/2023