Newsroom     Agência Brasil

Rio de Janeiro – A total of 67,535 cases of dengue have been registered in the city of Rio de Janeiro this year, with 43 deaths. April was the worst month with 24,000 cases. However, according to City Hall, since May the number of cases has been falling.

The mayor, Eduardo Paes, has just declared a state of alert and ordered a preventive action plan to deal with dengue before it becomes an epidemic – which may happen in the summer of 2012.

The city now has over 3,000 personnel who work as so-called dengue agents visiting residences and businesses seeking out Aedes aegypti mosquito breeding grounds. The city has cracked down on inhabitants who do not want to be inspected by dengue agents. Legislation now makes it mandatory for households and businesses to allow inspections. Local authorities can levy heavy fines on anyone who refuses to cooperate.

The city also has some 40 specially adapted vehicles that will be used to spray streets and areas of difficult access. At the same time, 4,000 health assistants are being trained for rapid response diagnoses and treatment at some 30 dengue first aid stations.

Allen Bennett – translator/editor The News in English

Link - Mais de 67 mil pessoas já tiveram dengue este ano na cidade do Rio de Janeiro