Dengue epidemic threatens Caribbean, kills dozens

[cory777]

Source: Associated Press


Mosquito-borne dengue fever is reaching epidemic stages across the Caribbean, with dozens of deaths reported and health authorities concerned it could get much worse as the rainy season advances.

The increase in cases is being blamed on warm weather and an unusually early rainy season, which has produced an explosion of mosquitoes. Health officials say the flood of cases is straining the region's hospitals.

In the Dominican Republic, where at least 27 deaths have been reported, hundreds of health workers and soldiers went door-to-door Saturday to warn about the virus and destroy mosquito breeding areas.

Hospitals in Trinidad are running out of beds, and Puerto Rico is facing what officials say could be its worst dengue outbreak in more than a decade.

Read more: http://www.salon.com/wires/allwires/2010/07/17/D9H13GBO0_cb_caribbean_dengue_epidemic/index.html

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Activist News - http://senselessworld-cory.blogspot.com/ - don't be scared

[nvme]

1. i think there was a possible case in florida

[depakid]

2. Dengue is endemic to South Florida

[BeatleBoot]

3. I was just reading about Dengue on the Center for Disease Control site

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5919a1.htm

[CountAllVotes]

4. my late father had Dengue Fever

he contracted it in the tropics during WWII. He was sick for the rest of his life as he had malaria and had also contracted Beri Beri during his service.

Damn does war ever suck or what?

Dengue Fever affects the spinal cord. It is horrible to see the curse it leaves on a person that lived through it some 40 years after having it.