This update report focuses on the yellow fever situation in South America and the Caribbean and on current measures being taken for surveillance, response, and disease and vector control, as well as vaccination for people at risk.

This four-page report provides the most up-to-date information on dengue activity in the Region of the Americas, with a data table by subregion and a chapter on each one with details and country data. (Epidemiological Alerts, Vol. 6, No. 9)

On 7 April 2009, the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare of Paraguay received laboratory confirmation of a case of cholera arising from Vibrio cholerae O:1 Ogawa, biotype El Tor, toxin producing. The date on onset of symptoms was 6 March, originating in an indigenous community in the Paraguayan Chaco region. Since then, three outbreaks of acute diarrheal disease were detected, with 15 reported cases (though the total number is undetermined) and 3 deaths. Regional health authorities have taken successful measures to assure safe drinking water in the affected areas (chlorination, boiling water, purchase of mineral water) and the situation has been contained, which leads us to believe that transmission was water borne.

Ante el inicio de la temporada de mayor transmisión de conjuntivitis hemorrágica en países tropicales, la Organización Panamericana de la Salud (OPS) enfatiza en la necesidad de reforzar la vigilancia e implementar las recomendaciones que contribuyen a controlar la diseminación de la enfermedad.

 

This brief update provides epidemiogical data for 2009 on reported dengue outbreaks in the various subregions of the Americas, by country and area within the affected country when deemed relevant, up to 3 April (EW 13) 2009. It also briefly describes the activities on which PAHO is working with the countries.

This update describes the status of the yellow fever outbreaks that have taken place this year in Argentina, Brasil, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela, as well as the response to them and recommendations to be followed to control them.

This brief report describes the situation of dengue in the Americas up to 5 March 2009, with descriptions on each subregion and country affected and a variety of tables and figures, along with technical cooperation offered by PAHO/WHO to combat the situation and what recommendations to follow.

Up to 6 February 2009 (Epidemiological Weeks/ EWs 1–5), reports indicate:

• 12,372 suspected cases of dengue.
• 1,326 confirmed cases of classic dengue.
• 55 suspected cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF).