"Dengue Epidemic Sweeps Latin America, Prompting Public Health Warnings"
The Pan American Health Organization has issued a warning for proactive measures to curb the record surge in dengue cases in Latin America and the Caribbean, with over 3.5 million cases and more than 1,000 deaths reported as of March 26. The hardest-hit countries are Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina, but an uptick is also seen in other countries. U.S. embassies are issuing health alerts, and Puerto Rico has declared a dengue public health emergency. Efforts to eliminate mosquito breeding sites, protect against mosquito bites, increase preparedness in health services, and educate the population about dengue symptoms are urged.