At Least 80 Confirmed, 79 Suspected Deaths In Rio Dengue Outbreak - 75,000 Sickened - Reuters

[hatrack]

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - An epidemic of dengue fever has killed at least 80 people and sickened more than 75,000 in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro state, authorities said on Thursday, warning that the outbreak may last another two months. Another 79 deaths are suspected dengue cases and more than 15,000 new cases of the mosquito-borne disease were recorded in the state in the past week, the state health department said.

The tourist city of Rio de Janeiro continues to be the worst affected area with 45,000 people infected and 47 dead from the disease. Many of the victims are children living in the city's hundreds of slum areas.

A state official who did not want to be identified said the epidemic was unlikely to be contained before June, when rains ease and temperatures fall. "The seriousness of the epidemic is because authorities had only been prepared for a small outbreak. That has affected the efficiency of the fight against mosquitoes," the official said.

Public health clinics in Rio have been overwhelmed by the worst dengue outbreak in years, forcing local authorities to call in military doctors and troops who are patrolling the streets looking for mosquito-breeding areas.

EDIT

http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2008/04/10/eline/links/20080410elin010.html

[hisownpetard]

1. 75,000 sickened? Doesn't compare to what's going on in the U.S. - 81% of the entire population,

sick to death!

(What's going on in Brazil is horrible and I don't mean to diminish it in any way.
However, just couldn't resist getting that in).

[mike_c]

2. bonebreak fever....

Dengue is bad news. Damn.

[CountAllVotes]

3. never heard it referred to as "bonebreak fever" before

My late father had dengue fever in WWII. He developed a severe case of osteoporosis. I never knew the two things were connected. :mad:

[mike_c]

4. the name derives from the extreme pain in the arms and legs....

eom

[kestrel91316]

5. I thought it was "breakbone" fever. Oy. Trivia........