by Dr. Pitt Reitmaier specialist in tropical hygiene and public health
2009: Dengue-outbreak on the southern island of the Cape Verde Archipelago
For the first time in history,starting in
September 2009, an epdemic of a hemorrhagic fever spread
on the
leeward (southern) group of islands, Santiago, Maio, Fogo and Brava. On 22 Oct 2009
Dengue-virus Serotyp-3 was identified (Institut Pasteur - Dakar - Senegal). In total 20914 cases were registered by the health services, 174 developed the severe, hemorrhagic form of the disease and 6 patients came to death. (latest in 04.11.2009).
Dengue is an arbovirus, means it is transmitted by arthropods, the mosquito Stegomyia (formerly aedes) wich also transmits Chikungunya, Yellow Fever, West-Nile-Fever, Zika-Virua and otheres. This mosquito does breed in very small sweet-water pockets like flour pots, tins, bottles, plastic bottles, empty tetrapacks and tyres and it can even breed in polluted water. This makes it a civilization-follower, hard to contol in poor urban environment, where garbage collection continues insufficient. Climate change and mass-tourism help to spread it to moderate climate zones where mosquitoes have started their adaptation to cooler temperatures. .
Geographic center of the epidemic
was the countries capital, City of Praia on Santiago island with the highest number of cases, nevertheless, the smaller city of São Filipe auf Fogo showed even higher incidence rates (new cases per 1000 inhab.) The southern islands Santiago, Fogo und Maio were the strongholds of lokal transmission, while Brava on the northern islands Sal, Boa Vista und São Nicolau very few important and authochonous cases were reported and the islands of São Vicente and Santo Antão remained free of authochonous transmission.
The Dengue-Epidemic did no affect the beach-tourism islands Sal and Boa Vista at any time!
since 2010: Dengue-Fever under control on the Cape Verde islands
With the beginning of the rainy season mosquito-control and preventive measures are intensified and monitored. Of 80 suspected cases (August - Oktober 2010, all of of them on Santiago-island) 12 were confirmed by lab-test as Dengue. Severe forms and lethal cases did not occur. In 2011 the numbers were even lower and only singular cases confirmed in the labs. 2012 there were no cases. In May 2013 one iported case was registed. Because of the Dengue- and Chikungunya Epidemic in Brazil in 2015 and the Zika-Outbreak iin 2015/16, mosquito control was further intensified. This includes the spaying of passenger- and cargo-compartments of airplanes.
January 2017: Autochtonous cases confirmed in the city of Praia
The Mosquito-Control Programme is intensified on 09 01 2017 in City of Praia on Santiago island. Three new cases of December 2016 were confirmed as Dengue by serological tests (Institut Pasteur - Dakar - Senegal) and comunicated to the press on 06 01 2017. It is the same Serotyp 3 as in 2009.
As of 31 01 2017, 23 cases were confirmed. Less than half of them serolöogically proofed as Dengue SeroType 3.
November 2023: New autochtonous cases confirmed in the city of Praia and on the island of Fogo
Out of six suspected cases identified by UHAN - University Hospital Agostinho Neto stemming from different quarters of the capital Praia, two were confirmed by Ângela Gomes, Director General of Health on09 11 1023.
So far the Sero Type was not communicated.
Out of 45 supected cases, the District Mecidal Officer of Fogo confirmed 6 as Dengue on 21 11 2023..
Intensive mosquito control interventions are on their way..
Conclusion:
Dengue is back to Cidade da Praia (Insel Santiago) and Fogo. From the other islands no cases are reported.
(Status of Information 22 11 2023)
Recommendations:
- avoid mosquito-bites
see also:: Zika-Virus in Cape Verde
All information to the best of our knowledge and belief - No warranty !
For individual recommendation, please contact your physician!