In the year 2010, there have been 7 deaths as of March 11 caused by dengue fever, 5 of them in Cali. The outbreak in the region has reached a total of 5,392. The information was confirmed by the National Institute of Health (INS), based on data received from all the secretariats of the Health Department.
Hector Fabio Useche, Secretary of the Department of Valle, said in an official statement that the deaths were not caused by direct attack by the virus itself, but by an incorrect medical diagnosis. "Dengue fever should not cause deaths. These deaths occurred because the diagnosis was not accurate," said the Secretary of the Department. To support this view, he insisted that "dengue fever is a virus, and a correct diagnosis is crucial because there is no treatment, just rest and hydration."
Cali is the region that always presents the highest number of cases, because it has more inhabitants. Other regions show a higher percentage rate: Tolima, Pereira, Cúcuta or Meta. According to the Department of Epidemiology of the Health Secretariat, during 2009 there have been confirmed 2,039 (47.7%) laboratory cases and of these, 16.4% were diagnosed as severe dengue. The last report of 2010 reported that from the fifth week there is a decrease in the percentage of cases of severe dengue, until the ninth week (2,652 cases), attributed to the effectiveness of communication strategies and education communities and medical personnel. The population is consulting with health services and also the management of cases proceeds properly.
As of March 11, there has been a total of 25,656 cases of dengue fever at the national level. Of these, 2,652 (10.2%) correspond to severe dengue.
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