La Rioja recorded its first fatality from dengue fever

In the midst of the dengue outbreak, the province of La Rioja recorded its first fatality from this disease. Officials from the provincial Health Ministry on Tuesday confirmed the outcome of a woman who contracted the virus, intensifying alarms about the uncontrolled spread of the disease nationwide. According to local health authorities, there are currently three people hospitalized in critical condition in intensive care units due to dengue, while another 15 are under observation in common hospital wards. Laboratory tests identified the predominant serotypes in the province as DEN-1 and DEN-2. The latest epidemiological report revealed an exponential increase in confirmed cases over the last week. From Sunday, March 17 to Sunday, March 24, a total of 199 positive cases were reported throughout the province, with the capital, La Rioja, as the epicenter of the outbreak with 167 infected. In response to this health crisis, the national deputy for La Rioja, Ricardo Herrera, presented a bill for the dengue vaccine to be included in the National Vaccination Calendar and administered free of charge throughout the country. Currently, the vaccine, produced by the Japanese laboratory Takeda, is only available in private clinics at a prohibitive cost of around $75,000 pesos per dose. With the urgent need to contain the spread of dengue and prevent further human losses, the initiative seeks to ensure the free availability of the vaccine and its equitable distribution throughout the national territory.

Original source in Spanish