While the COVID-19 disease caused by the coronavirus is hype around the world, France’s overseas territories are facing a dengue epidemic at the same time. It is a mosquito-borne viral disease with symptoms similar to COVID-19. Dengue is currently crazy, incl. in Mayotte and Réunion, as well as in French Guiana.
The dengue epidemic has hit French overseas territories
It’s not just the coronavirus pandemic that keeps the world’s healthcare professionals awake at night. In some areas, dengue is a more serious problem, which has filled hospitals in recent months. Dengue fever is a viral disease that is spread by a tiger mosquito and is mainly found in tropical countries. To typical symptoms of dengue include fever, muscle and joint pain, headache or cough. The symptoms therefore resemble infection with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.
Dengi epidemic it touched two islands in the Indian Ocean – Mayotte and Réunion. Mayotte is located in the Comorian archipelago and since January, over 3 have been officially recorded there. dengue cases. Due to the nature of the symptoms, it is suspected that the actual number of patients is higher. Coronavirus was found in 380 people during the same time frame. Meanwhile, as a result of dengue, as many as 292 patients were hospitalized, 19 of which went to intensive care.
The second island that is a French overseas territory, Reunion, has been struggling with dengue since 2018. In 2019, dengue was diagnosed there in 18. people, and 14 patients died. In 2020, 4 have already fallen ill. people, of which 183 were hospitalized, and deaths were reported in four cases. Coronavirus has been detected in 412 people in Réunion, the highest number of confirmed cases in the overseas territories. No deaths have yet been reported on the island from COVID-19.
Dengue has also spread to French Guiana, which is located in South America.
Also read: New Coronavirus Symptoms? They are like dengue fever
WHO warns against dengue fever
The World Health Organization (WHO) report in March also reports on the problem of dengue fever in Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthélemy. In January this year, the territories of Guadeloupe and Saint-Martin declared an epidemic caused by dengue. These territories are struggling with an increase in dengue cases compared to previous years.
Dengue outbreaks usually occur when a different serotype becomes dominant in an area dengi virus (DENV), and contact with it is experienced by non-immune people, including tourists. The WHO estimates that the spread of other DENV strains within the French overseas territories increases the risk of secondary infections with the virus. The risk of dengue spreading to neighboring islands or other countries is also growing.
Currently, there is no specific therapeutic therapy that is used in patients with dengue fever. The key is therefore to detect the disease at an early stage and to implement symptomatic treatment.
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