So far this year Colombia has recorded almost 78,000 cases of dengue fever throughout the country, with 93 deaths from the disease, Semana reported Thursday.
According to Colombia’s National Health Institute (INS), the country suffered a total of 77,939 cases of dengue between January 1 and May 27 of this year, with 1.5% of cases resulting in a fatality.
In recent weeks authorities recorded a significant increase in cases in the departments of Arauca, Atlantico, Casanare, Cesar and Santander, as well as in the northern city of Santa Marta.
The Ministry for Social Protection responded to the statistic by urging that authorities “continue using and issuing the management guides for dengue fever and continue to apply the established protocols.”
It also called on the inhabitants of areas less than 1,600 meters above sea level to go immediately to their local health centre if they have any symptoms of the disease, including fever, headaches or body pain.
Last year there were 71,000 recorded cases of dengue fever and 44 fatalities.
The increase in deaths caused by the disease has been attributed to a general rise in temperature in Colombia.