- Title: VENEZUELA: VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT DECLARES WAR ON DENGUE FEVER EPIDEMIC
- Date: 22nd August 2001
- Summary: (U7) CARACAS, VENEZUELA (AUGUST 22, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. CU: DENGUE TRANSMITTING MOSQUITO 0.05 2. VARIOUS OF FUMIGATION BRIGADE WORKING IN DENGUE CARRYING MOSQUITO LIVES (4 SHOTS) 0.27 3. SCU: (SOUNDBITE)(Spanish) MINISTRY OF HEALTH, MARIA LOURDES URBANEJA SAYING: "The dengue situation in the country is an important situation from a numeric point of view since we have approximately 24,000 cases so far this year which is an increase compared to the same week last year, it has close to doubled from the data that we have from last year." 0.49 4. CU: T- SHIRT BEING WORN BY FUMIGATOR SAYING: "ALL OF US AGAINST DENGUE" 0.52 5. SCU: (SOUNDBITE)(Spanish) MINISTRY OF HEALTH, MARIA LOURDES URBANEJA SAYING: "Dengue arrived here in 1989 and it stayed and we have to see how the mosquito which is a normal inhabitant of our geography does not continue to aggravate us and does not transmit illnesses." 1.09 (U7) CARACAS, VENEZUELA (AUGUST 23, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 6. SV: EMERGENCY ENTRANCE AT PEDIATRIC HOSPITAL, "EL LLANITO" 1.16 7. VARIOUS PEOPLE AFFECTED BY DENGUE WAITING TO BE SEEN BY DOCTORS 1.22 8. CU: MOTHER DRYING DAUGHTERS PERSPIRATION 1.25 9. SV: CHILD GOING IN TO BE EXAMINED 1.31 10. SCU: CHILD WITH DENGUE IN WAITING ROOM 1.37 11. SCU: (SOUNDBTIE)(Spanish) DOCTOR MAITE REINA SAYING: "The number of dengue cases has risen significantly. Daily we see between 50 and 100 children with Dengue , with fevers, migraines and skin rashes. We perform examinations in the laboratory and daily we hospitalize 4 or 5 children with haemorrhagic dengue, right now we don't have space for them, we have had to refer patients to other hospitals because we don't have the space." 2.06 12. VARIOUS OF INFECTED CHILDREN WITH IN HOSPITAL (4 SHOTS) 2.24 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 6th September 2001 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
- Country: Venezuela
- Reuters ID: LVACN90LCLYD4DOYU9W70NC9J44X
- Story Text: Venezuela, facing an epidemic that has led to
overcrowded hospitals, has declared war on dengue.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has called for urgent
action to fight an epidemic of dengue fever carried by
mosquitoes that has killed three people this year and made
more than 24,000 sick.
The disease, which causes fever, headache and muscle pains
and can be fatal, was found in 18 of the oil-rich South
American country's 23 states, including the capital Caracas
and its sprawling hilltop shantytowns.
Health Ministry officials said the 24,000 people with
dengue fever reported so far this year had already well
surpassed the total of 21,101 cases reported for the whole of
2000.
"Dengue arrived here in 1989 and it stayed and we have to
see how the mosquito, which is a normal inhabitant of our
geography, does not continue to aggravate us and does not
transmit illnesses," Health Minister Maria Lourdes Urbaneja
said.
The combination of recent rains and homes with no running
water, which oblige homeowners to store water, have multiplied
the potential breeding areas for mosquitoes. To worsen
matters, many homes have no screens over windows to keep the
bugs out.
Hospitals have been inundated with Dengue cases, so much
so that many emergency rooms are sending patients to other
hospitals.
"Daily we see between 50 and 100 children with
Dengue...right now we don't have space for them, we have had
to refer patients to other hospitals because we don't have the
space," Doctor Maite Reina said.
Chavez said a national fumigation campaign to eliminate
dengue-carrying mosquitoes was also under way and he announced
the setting up of a free telephone hotline for the public to
report dengue cases and learn about prevention measures.
State governors and city mayors were due to meet Thursday
to discuss strategies for fighting the epidemic.
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