DENGUE OUTBREAK

UNCLAS BELMOPAN 000298 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL SOCI BH SUBJECT: DENGUE OUTBREAK ¶1. Summary: Belize is experiencing an upsurge in cases of dengue fever with about 200 clinically-diagnosed cases in the last two months. The health authorities in the adjacent Mexican state of Quintana Roo (QR) are providing the GOB assistance to control the outbreak. End Summary. ¶2. The Belize Minister of Health (MOH) Pablo Marin met on July 27 with the Mexican Ambassador to Belize Luis Manuel Lopez Moreno and QR Secretary of Health Juan Carlos Azueta Cardenas to discuss details of the QR Health Secretariat's offer of assistance to the GOB to control the spread of dengue fever in Belize. ¶3. On July 29 at a ceremony on the Mexico-Belize border Azueta Cardenas handed over to the GOB equipment to fight the spread of the disease. The agreement will be in effect for three weeks and will cover provision of assistance in the areas of epidemiological survey, entomological activities, ultra low volume (ULV) spraying, and laboratory support. ¶4. Seventeen Mexican medical and vector control personnel and a fleet of ULV machines crossed over from QR and have begun their activities in Cayo District (which includes Belmopan). They will then continue their work in Belize, Corozal, and Orange Walk Districts. The team is led by QR's senior epidemiologist Dr. Julio Cesar Gonzales Aguilar. ¶5. Emphasis will be placed on an entomological survey that will provide the MOH with necessary information on areas of infestation of the vector - the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes which transmits dengue to humans. The MOH will then more efficiently utilize insecticides for the spraying of the vector population in order to reduce the transmission of the disease. ¶6. The MOH reports an upsurge in suspected dengue cases in Belize since May 24, with the largest spike occurring since July 5. There have been 240 clinically-diagnosed cases reported to date this year, with 198 of these cases since May 24. All suspected cased during the period were reported from two districts, Cayo (including Belmopan) with 169 cases and Belize (including Belize City) with 29 cases. The MOH reports that serology testing has been done on 186 persons at Belize City's central medical laboratory since May 24. ¶7. Post sent a warden message concerning the outbreak to the American community and continues to monitor the situation. DIFFILY