Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
San Jose (Agenzia Fides) - Health authorities in Costa Rica report that in the first four months of this year, dengue cases have dropped by 46.7 % and malaria cases by 65.3%, in comparison to this same period in 2008.
Until now, 1,103 dengue cases have been reported, in comparison with the 2,070 of 2008.
The majority of the 2009 cases were discovered in the hot pockets along the coastline, such as the Central Pacific (668), the Caribbean (161), and the Province of Guanacaste, in the northern Pacific (99). There have been reports of seven cases of hemorrhagic dengue, however no deaths thus far.
Dengue is a disease that is transmitted by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, which causes a high fever and muscle pains, while the hemorrhagic version also involves an endless loss of blood that can easily lead to death.
As for the malaria, while 225 cases were registered in the first four months of 2008, only 78 were registered during the same time in 2009, the majority in the area of the Caribbean.
Malaria is an infective disease that is spread by the anopheles mosquito. It brings intense sweats, rapid increase in body temperature, headaches, and vomiting.
The Department of Health and Social Prevention of Costa Rica (CCSS) has assured that it will reinforce controls and disinfection throughout the country, in order to eventually destroy the eggs of the mosquitoes that spread dengue and malaria. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 25/5/2009)
