Dengue Virus Threatens World Population

The WHO warned on Friday that the dengue virus, which is spread by mosquitoes, poses a risk to half of the world's population.

During a UN news conference in Geneva, Raman Velayudhan, the head of the WHO's tropical diseases unit, reported that between 2000 and 2022, the number of dengue cases surged eightfold, from 500,000 cases to 4.2 million.

According to an online news outlet, Velayudhan highlighted that the true number might be substantially higher because the agency has been receiving more detailed data lately.

"Approximately 129 countries are affected by dengue, and it affects about half of the world's population," he added, adding that between 100 and 400 million cases are reported each year.

He claimed that the virus that causes dengue is a deadly ailment often spread by mosquito bites.

He claims that in 80% of cases, there are no symptoms.

He asserted that the only vaccine that is now available is from Sanofi Pasteur.

This vaccine has been registered for use in close to 20 countries.

The vaccine, which needs to be given in three doses, only protects people who have already had one dengue illness.

According to the expert, this vaccination typically has a 65 percent effectiveness rate against the 1, 2, 3, and 4 different strains of dengue virus.

According to Velayudhan, the vaccine has an 80% effectiveness rate against dengue types 1 and 3. While it is less effective against dengue 2, he continued, it is about 50% effective against dengue 4.

According to him, a challenge is the vaccine's variable effectiveness against various strains of dengue.

According to estimates, there are between 40,000 and 70,000 dengue deaths annually, he added, adding that many nations still do not disclose them.

"The case fatality rate is around less than 1% in the majority of the countries, and we are hoping to reduce it still further," he said.

Source: AFP