Dengue fever, Cape Verde

Between 1 October and 1 November 2009, the Ministry of Health of Cape Verde had reported 5985 suspected cases of viral diseases of unknown etiology in 4 islands: Brava, Fogo, Maio and Santiago. This is the first reported epidemic of dengue fever in Cape Verde.

The first samples tested, were laboratoryconfirmed as dengue virus serotype 3 by the Pasteur Institute in Dakar (Senegal), which is a WHO Collaborating Centre for arbovirus and viral haemorrhagic fevers and a partner of the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN).

It is important to highlight that an ongoing outbreak of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 virus has been circulating in the country since June 2009.

The Government has established a ministerial committee of vector control led by the Prime Minister and including all ministries involved in containing the outbreak. The measures taken include clinical management, vector control and social mobilization. A rapid surveillance and reporting system through SMS messaging systems has been established by the Ministry of Health and the public information technology agency with WHO collaboration.

On 26 October 2009, a team from the WHO Regional Office for Africa, Intercountry support team and the Pasteur Institute in Dakar (Senegal) arrived to support Cape Verde in investigating the outbreak. The team will provide laboratory, entomology and epidemiology support and set up laboratory diagnostics at the Agostinho Neto hospital. The team will further initiate vector control activities and the recording and analysis of epidemiological trends. The GOARN will provide additional assistance to health authorities in Cape Verde.