Latin America & The Caribbean Weekly Situation Update as of 16 February 2024

PERU: DENGUE
Peru’s Ministry of Health (MINSA) reports over 13,000 dengue cases so far in 2024, marking a 53.4 per cent increase from 2023, with 3,192 cases in the fifth week of 2024 alone. This surge coincides with prolonged El Niño-induced heatwaves. In the northern region of Piura, the region with the highest number of dengue cases, MINSA has reported more than 100 consecutive unusually warm days and over 200 warm nights, with the town of Mallares reaching a record summer temperature of 38.2 degrees Celsius on 8 January. The warm conditions, exacerbated by El Niño Costero, create favourable environments for dengue transmission, posing heightened risks to vulnerable groups. According to Peru’s National Centre for Epidemiology, Prevention, and Disease Control (CDC), the persistent El Niño conditions could result in up to 109,297 cases nationwide by June 2024.

HAITI: VIOLENCE
Since 1 February, approximately 10,000 people in Port-au-Prince have been displaced due to ongoing violence, bringing the total number of people displaced since the start of the year to 20,000. Weeks of prolonged violence and insecurity have forced schools to close, halting associated school meal programs, and disrupted healthcare services, with some facilities being forced to suspend operations. Additionally, the violence has hindered the access of UN agencies and NGOs to carry out their programs in Port-au-Prince and other major cities. UNICEF has condemned the deaths of two children and expressed deep concern about the violence’s impact on children, while WFP has emphasized the urgent need for unimpeded access for aid agencies and the free flow of food supplies to prevent the already dire levels of hunger from becoming catastrophic.

COLOMBIA: ARMED STRIKE
A critical humanitarian situation has unfolded in Chocó, where from 10-14 February a non-state armed group (NSAG) initiated an armed strike in the municipalities of Medio San Juan, Nóvita, Sipi, and Istimina, affecting 18,940 people. Communities faced restraints and restrictions in accessing essential goods, healthcare, education and basic sanitation. Since December 2023, indigenous groups have grappled with the persistent presence of NSAGs on their lands, resulting in the confinement of approximately 1,397 people (296 families) across various municipalities. The NSAG’s directives have restricted movement in vital areas, notably those where food is sourced, exacerbating the growing humanitarian situation.

REGIONAL: EL NIÑO
El Niño and Coastal El Niño conditions are driving climatic crises across the region. Chile and Peru have experienced persistent heatwaves in early 2024, with devastating wildfires affecting nearly 10,000 people in Chile, and extreme temperatures, reminiscent of previous El Niño years, spiking disease rates and heatstroke in Peru. The eastern region of Guatemala saw temperatures reach 40 degrees Celsius in February, despite it being the cold season. In Colombia, 515 El Niño-related events, including forest fires and flooding, have affected 97,000 people, while Ecuador, where half of the population live in floodable areas, faces intense rainfall, particularly in coastal regions. On 14 February, the Start Fund allocated US$265,082 in anticipation of El Niño-related flooding in the Santa Elena province of Ecuador. El Niño conditions are forecast to persist until at least March, with a 79 per cent chance of transitioning to ENSO-neutral by April-June 2024.