Attachments
Date when the trigger was met
27-06-2024
What happened, where and when?
Dengue remained the arbovirus with the highest number of reported cases in the Region of the Americas, with outbreaks occurring cyclically every 3 to 5 years. During 2024, between epidemiological weeks (EW) 1 and 25, a total of 10,363,448 suspected cases of dengue were reported in the region. The cumulative incidence was 1,098 cases per 100,000 population. This gure represented a 232% increase compared to the same period in 2023 and a 420% increase compared to the average of the past ve years. Additionally, 140 cases of severe dengue were reported, of which 102 resulted in death (1).
On 16 February 2024, in view of the exponential increase in dengue cases observed during the rst weeks of the year in several countries of the region, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) issued an urgent appeal to Member States. The organization emphasized the need to intensify vector control measures and maintain active surveillance, ensuring early diagnosis and timely treatment of cases (2).
On 7 March 2024, the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance (MSPAS) of Guatemala, through the Directorate of Epidemiology and Risk Management, issued an epidemiological alert for dengue (3). This alert aimed to strengthen dengue control and prevention plans, based on data accumulated up to epidemiological week 7, which ended on 17 February. By that date, a total of 6,760 cases of dengue had been recorded, of which 31 were severe, resulting in 3 deaths. The decision to issue the alert was motivated by the beginning of the high transmission season in the country. As part of the measure, specific epidemiological surveillance actions were reinforced, including standardized protocols for case detection, reporting, and registration in hospitals and health areas.
Given the increase in dengue cases in the country, MSPAS declared a National Health Emergency on 30 April 2024 (4), through Ministerial Agreement Number 152-2024, published in the Official Gazette of Central America. The agreement emphasized the responsibility of health sector institutions to carry out, within their areas of competence, epidemiological surveillance, outbreak investigation, and entomological surveillance. These actions were fundamental for the implementation of integrated vector control strategies aimed at mitigating the spread of dengue.
On 13 May 2024, the vector-borne disease control program of the health area in the department of Quetzaltenango formally requested direct support from the Guatemalan Red Cross. The request mainly focused on health promotion, larviciding, fogging, and the cleaning of mosquito breeding sites. Similarly, on 14 May 2024, the endemic disease control program of the health area in the department of Suchitepéquez also requested the support of the Guatemalan Red Cross to carry out dengue prevention and mitigation actions. These requests were made due to a lack of personnel and resources needed to implement the actions outlined in the national dengue emergency.
On 27 June, during a meeting of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at the national level, MSPAS verbally requested the National Society to shift its intervention from the department of Suchitepéquez to that of Zacapa. This request was based on the significant increase in dengue cases in Zacapa and a considerable decrease in Suchitepéquez. The request was made in response to the identification of the most affected areas and the shortage of MSPAS personnel and resources to address the national dengue emergency.
By epidemiological week 34, a total of 80,234 cases of dengue had been reported in the country. According to the same report, 14 of the 29 Departmental Directorates of Integrated Health Services Networks (DDRISS) reported dengue incidence rates above the national average. The most affected departments included Jutiapa, Santa Rosa, Zacapa, El Progreso, Baja Verapaz, Sacatepéquez, Quetzaltenango, Retalhuleu, Jalapa, Escuintla, Suchitepéquez, Chiquimula, and the northwestern and northeastern regions of the country. Notably, the DDRISS of Zacapa, Suchitepéquez, and Jutiapa recorded the highest incidence of dengue with warning signs.
During inter-institutional meetings held in August, MSPAS reiterated its call and requested support from both local and national organizations present in Guatemalan territory to continue and intensify eorts in the ght against dengue.