Bolivian hospitals under strain as dengue kills dozens
Hospitals in Bolivia’s Santa Cruz region are struggling to keep up with an outbreak of dengue that has killed at least 26 people
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Hospitals in Bolivia’s eastern Santa Cruz region struggled Wednesday to keep up with an outbreak of dengue that has killed at least 26 people.
It marks the largest outbreak of the mosquito-borne disease since the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the almost 7,000 cases detected since January have been in Santa Cruz, the country’s most populous region, where two of the most lethal variants of the illness have been detected.
“The hospital is full, there’s no more space, patients sleep in the hall in order to be admitted,” Fredy Rojas, a pediatrician at the Santa Cruz Children’s Hospital, told a local radio station. “Many children get here in serious condition and there isn’t enough time to reverse the situation.”
At least 26 people have died, Bolivia's health ministry said.
Dengue causes flu-like symptoms that most people recover from, but also can rapidly lead to internal bleeding, organ failure and even death. There generally is no specific treatment for the disease, but vaccines are available.
Dengue is endemic in Bolivia and proliferates in the country's east during its December-to-March rainy season. It is a leading cause of serious illness and death in roughly 120 Latin American and Asian countries.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.