Brazil became the pioneer country in the world in officially implementing the dengue fever vaccination campaign in the context of the skyrocketing number of cases in the country.
In the first five weeks of 2024, Brazilian health authorities recorded more than 395,000 suspected cases of dengue fever, four times higher than the same period last year.
More alarming, at least 53 people did not survive and there are 281 other deaths being investigated to see if they are related to this disease.
In this vaccination campaign, Brazil uses the Qdenga vaccine produced by the Japanese pharmaceutical company Takeda. Due to limited supplies, Brazil prioritizes vaccination of children aged 10-11 in the first phase.
Brazil aims to vaccinate 3.2 million people out of a total of 203 million people by the end of this year. The Brazilian government is also studying the possibility of domestic vaccine production.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), dengue fever is a mosquito-borne disease that can cause severe dengue fever and is a threat to the health of 100-400 million people, although most cases are fatal. mild or no symptoms.
The vaccination campaign is launched ahead of upcoming exciting festivals. Brazil’s two most populous cities, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, have implemented emergency measures to prevent the spread of the disease.
