The Ministry of Health warned about the increase in cases of dengue fever this year.

From January to September, they recorded 15,495 cases of dengue fever in the country. 

This represents a 353% increase over the 5,475 infections reported during the same period last year.

Limón Province had the most patients, with more than 4,800 cases, followed by Alajuela with over 3,300 cases and Puntarenas with more than 2,500 cases. The remaining patients are from Heredia, San José, Guanacaste and Cartago provinces.

No deaths have been reported from either of these viruses this year, authorities said.

Dengue causes flu-like symptoms and sometimes progresses to a life-threatening condition called severe dengue, formerly known as hemorrhagic dengue.

Dengue is a viral infection transmitted by the bite of an infected female Aedes mosquito. There are four distinct serotypes of the dengue virus: DEN 1, DEN 2, DEN 3 and DEN 4. Symptoms appear in 3–14 days, on average 4–7 days, after the infected bite. Dengue fever is a flu-like illness that affects infants, young children and adults.

There is no specific treatment for dengue fever. Severe dengue is potentially lethal, but early clinical diagnosis and careful clinical management may often save lives.

The only method to control or prevent dengue transmission is to fight against vector mosquitoes, authorities said.

Experts recommend the following precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the mosquito.

• Keeping a tidy home to prevent mosquitoes from finding places to lay their eggs.

• Properly removing solid waste and possible clean water deposits, no matter how small.

• Covering, emptying and cleaning water containers every week.

• Applying suitable insecticides to the containers in which water is stored outdoors.

• Using personal protection measures at home, such as window screens, long-sleeved clothing, repellants, insecticide-treated materials, coils, and vaporizers.

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