This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/americas/6407287.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Dengue sparks Paraguay emergency | Dengue sparks Paraguay emergency |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Paraguay has declared a 60-day state of emergency to deal with an outbreak of dengue fever which has killed at least 10 people in the past two months. | Paraguay has declared a 60-day state of emergency to deal with an outbreak of dengue fever which has killed at least 10 people in the past two months. |
| Officials say 14,654 people have been diagnosed with dengue. | Officials say 14,654 people have been diagnosed with dengue. |
| But doctors say the figure is 10 times higher, and are worried about a new more virulent variant of the disease. | But doctors say the figure is 10 times higher, and are worried about a new more virulent variant of the disease. |
| Brazil and Bolivia have also seen a rise in cases of dengue, which is spread by mosquitoes and is endemic in much of the Americas. | Brazil and Bolivia have also seen a rise in cases of dengue, which is spread by mosquitoes and is endemic in much of the Americas. |
| Dengue fever causes severe headaches, as well as muscle and joint pain. | Dengue fever causes severe headaches, as well as muscle and joint pain. |
| Protest planned | Protest planned |
| Doctors in Paraguay say that at least five of those who died were suffering from a particularly virulent variant of the disease called "gastric dengue", never seen before in the country. | Doctors in Paraguay say that at least five of those who died were suffering from a particularly virulent variant of the disease called "gastric dengue", never seen before in the country. |
| DENGUE FEVER Transmitted by mosquitoesFlu-like illnessSymptoms of the severe, flu-like illness include severe headaches, fever, rash, joint painsSeldom deadly, but has potentially lethal variantsDengue fever is found in Africa, South-east Asia and China, the Indian sub-continent, the Middle East, South and Central America, the Caribbean and Australia Source: WHO Gastric dengue attacks vital organs - such as the liver, heart, lungs or brain - and can cause death within hours. | |
| Other patients died of dengue haemorrhagic fever, a variant which can lead to enlargement of the liver, and in some cases, circulatory failure. | Other patients died of dengue haemorrhagic fever, a variant which can lead to enlargement of the liver, and in some cases, circulatory failure. |
| Doctors working in state-run hospitals are planning to hold a demonstration outside the health ministry on Friday, in protest at what they describe as government inefficiency. | Doctors working in state-run hospitals are planning to hold a demonstration outside the health ministry on Friday, in protest at what they describe as government inefficiency. |
| Private-sector doctors have accused the authorities of underestimating the impact of the outbreak, saying official figures represent 10% of real cases. | Private-sector doctors have accused the authorities of underestimating the impact of the outbreak, saying official figures represent 10% of real cases. |
| 'Not overwhelmed' | 'Not overwhelmed' |
| Specialists have warned that public hospitals do not have enough intensive-care capacity to cope if the number of severe cases continues to rise. | Specialists have warned that public hospitals do not have enough intensive-care capacity to cope if the number of severe cases continues to rise. |
| However, the National Emergency Secretary said the country's health system was not being overwhelmed by the outbreak. | However, the National Emergency Secretary said the country's health system was not being overwhelmed by the outbreak. |
| Aristides Gonzalez said special brigades would target mosquito breeding-spots - such as stagnant water pools and rubbish dumps - in homes and public places. | Aristides Gonzalez said special brigades would target mosquito breeding-spots - such as stagnant water pools and rubbish dumps - in homes and public places. |
| Experts have blamed the unusually rapid spread of the disease on a higher rainfall and uncommonly warm weather, which have boosted the population of the aedes aegypti mosquito. | |
| More rains and high temperatures are forecast for the next two months, prompting fears that the number of cases will continue to rise. | More rains and high temperatures are forecast for the next two months, prompting fears that the number of cases will continue to rise. |