Peru: Dengue Outbreak - Jun 2023

At least 31 children have died and a further 45,900 children have been infected with the deadly dengue virus, in the worst epidemic of the illness in Peru in over a decade, said Save the Children. The country has seen over 150,294 cases since January 2023, a number substantially higher than the previous peak of 74,000 cases for the entire year in 2017. The death toll from the viral outbreak has risen to 252 nationwide. The country normally averages around 28,000 cases per year, with peaks during El Nino weather events. (Save the Children, 16 Jun 2023)

Following massive early year flooding across northern Peru, a subsequent dengue epidemic has led to a record 141,973 cases and 232 deaths - the highest dengue fever death rate per capita in the Americas. As a result, the national health system has declared a health emergency. The Ministry of Health (MINSA) is rolling out measures to scale up national response capacities. (OCHA, 19 Jun 2023)

The post-flood dengue epidemic, compounded by a major heat wave, has reached a record 161,471 cases and 287 deaths - the highest dengue fever death rate per capita in the Americas. MINSA reports that the epidemiological curve has decreased for the fifth consecutive week, even in the most affected regions along the northern coast. (OCHA, 17 Jul 2023)

The ongoing dengue epidemic, fuelled by the impact of torrential rains and a major heat wave in Peru, has reached a record 147,884 confirmed cases, 82,325 probable cases and 398 deaths - the highest dengue fever death rate per capita in the Americas. MINSA reports that the infection curve has been decreasing for 11 consecutive weeks, although the average weekly increase in cases is still higher than in previous years. (OCHA, 23 Aug 2023)

In 2023, between EW 1 and EW 35, there were 3,407,921 dengue cases reported, with a cumulative incidence rate of 343 cases per 100,000 population. The highest cumulative incidence rates were reported in the following subregions: The Southern Cone with 931 cases per 100,000 population, the Andean Subregion with 326 cases per 100,000 population, and the Central American Isthmus and Mexico with 124 cases per 100,000 population. This year, of the 3,407,921 dengue cases reported, 1,584,761 (46%) were laboratory-confirmed and 4,759 (0.14%) were classified as severe dengue. The highest number of dengue cases were reported in Brazil with 2,569,746 cases, followed by Peru with 235,014 cases (as of EW 32 of 2023) and Bolivia with 137,110 cases. (PAHO/WHO, 15 Sep 2023)