Ministry of Health confirms four cases of dengue fever in Chile

SANTIAGO.- The Ministry of Health (Minsal) has confirmed four cases of dengue fever so far during 2009.

According to Radio Cooperativa, the Minsal has said that those suffering from the illness pose no threat to the rest of the population, since dengue fever can only be spread by way of mosquitoes carrying the disease and cannot be passed from person to person.

The latest confirmed case was reported in Arica and involves a Chilean national that traveled to Bolivia.

Epidemiologist Juan Jorge Silva explained that dengue fever is not easy to diagnose due to the rare nature of the illness, which is also why a vaccination does not exist within the healthcare system to treat it.

Furthermore, Silva indicated that dengue fever can be fatal if it causes a hemorrhaging within the central nervous system.

Since 2004, there have be 74 reports of people infected with dengue fever, all of whom were outside of Chile, given that the insect that transmits the disease is not found anywhere in the nation except for Easter Island.