The researcher from the University of La Serena Jaime Pizarro-Araya recalled that the type of mosquito that spreads the disease has been found on Easter Island and in the Arica and Parinacota Region. In Argentina there is an alert due to the explosive increase in cases and the collapse of hospitals.

After the confirmation by the Seremi de Salud of Coquimbo of three cases of people sick with dengue in the area, added to the detection of the mosquito vector in Arica and Parinacota, authorities and specialists have recalled the importance of adopting measures to prevent spread of this disease in Chile, especially considering that these are people who brought the infection after a trip abroad.

There is a health alert in force until March 31, which will be extended to facilitate preventive work in the detection of the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, which causes the virus in humans. 

The academic and researcher at the Ecological Entomology Laboratory of the University of La Serena, Jaime Pizarro-Araya, explained that “dengue is a disease transmitted by the bite of a species of mosquito called Aedes aegypti, which is not endemic to the country and which We can find it in tropical areas in neighboring countries such as Bolivia, Peru and Argentina, precisely in the latter there is an alert due to the increase in cases and deaths associated with the disease. Currently in Chile there have been three cases of people with dengue in the Coquimbo Region, but they are imported diseases, that is, they were not bitten by mosquitoes in the country." 

Pizarro-Araya, who has a Doctor of Biological Sciences, added that “the appearance of this disease has direct health implications for the population, because there are four types of virus variants that can cause this dengue and transmitted by this mosquito. Unfortunately in Chile we do not present serums to combat this disease. Therefore, here it is a preventive care on the part of Chileans who travel or travelers who arrive from tropical places and may come with fever and muscle pain. The important thing is to go to the corresponding health services once this symptom appears.”

Finally, regarding the care to consider, the academic indicated that “one of the fundamental issues for the biological development of mosquitoes is stagnant water. Previously, in the small north there was stagnant water in drums and currently there are many irregular populations that live in this situation because they do not have sewage, therefore, you have to be very careful with stagnant water or standing water without a cover. Along with this, it is important to use mosquito nets, repellents and obviously be alert to significant fever symptoms, especially in people who travel."