Dengue does lowland Bolivia and threatens Amazon basin Peru.
In 2007 it was Paraguay, with at least 27,000 cases (possibly 50% more) and close to 100 deaths.- In 2008 Brazil was the recipient, with 23,555 reported cases and 30 deaths.
- This time around it’s Bolivia and Peru.
Lowland Bolivia has already reported 9,000 cases of dengue (including six deaths), a really nasty fever transported by a specific type of day-flying mosquito (here’s the wiki page if you want to find out more). With the dengue season likely to last a least another six weeks (the season coincides with the hot-wet time of year in the jungle), Bolivian authorities fear that up to 50,000 cases might eventually be reported.
Meanwhile, the Ucuyali region of jungle Peru has just declared a state of emergency to combat dengue, mainly to facilitate the re-stocking of low anti-mosquito supplies in the region.
There is no vaccine for dengue, so if you’re thinking of visiting either region in the near future, make sure you’re well stocked up with mosquito repellents, people. And don’t start blaming Evo Morales for this one, please, as it’s bad enough already without layering stupidity on top.