The danger of getting sick with dengue fever is ever current in Puerto Rico and different locations with sizzling, humid climates — however this 12 months “instances have exceeded historic figures,” in response to Puerto Rico Well being Secretary Carlos Mellado.Mellado declared a public well being emergency this week in an effort to curb the rise in dengue fever instances, saying the decree helps assure Puerto Rico has entry to the assets wanted to fight the outbreak. The declaration is about to final 90 days and might be renewed if needed.Puerto Rico joins Brazil, Peru and different Latin American nations coping with outbreaks in declaring a state of emergency over dengue fever.As of Tuesday, there have been over 3.5 million instances and greater than 1,000 deaths in Latin America, the Pan American Well being Group stated at a information briefing Thursday. “That is trigger for concern, because it represents 3 times extra instances than these reported for a similar interval in 2023,” which was thought-about a file 12 months, PAHO Director Jarbas Barbosa stated.The Puerto Rico Division of Well being reported first noticing a rise in dengue fever instances on the island on the finish of 2023. With 146 instances reported by the third week of January, dengue fever charges began to persistently surpass 2023 ranges.As of March 10, at the least 549 dengue fever instances had been reported on the island for the reason that begin of the 12 months, largely within the capital of San Juan, in response to the Well being Division. About 62% of sufferers have been hospitalized with the illness; solely 29 instances have been thought-about extreme. No dengue fever fatalities have been reported to this point.The most typical symptom amongst those that contract the mosquito-borne illness is fever, in response to the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention. Different signs embrace severe complications, nausea, vomiting, rash and physique ache.Signs might be delicate or extreme. Most dengue fever sufferers get well in every week, however in extreme instances the illness might be life-threatening and require hospitalization because it can lead to shock, inside bleeding and even demise. Those that have had dengue previously usually tend to develop extreme signs. An individual can get sick with dengue fever as much as 4 instances of their lifetime — as soon as for every kind of virus that may trigger the illness, in response to the CDC.The CDC has been working with the Puerto Rico Well being Division and different native businesses to enact the island’s dengue fever prevention and management plan — which incorporates eliminating and cleansing up areas with stagnant water that might function mosquito breeding websites, in addition to urging the general public to make use of mosquito repellents and wire mesh panels to maintain mosquitoes out of their properties.In a press release Monday, Mellado stated in Spanish that every one components of Puerto Rican society should be part of forces to forestall contagion and the unfold of this virus.Puerto Rico final declared a dengue epidemic in 2012. At the very least 199 individuals died of dengue fever throughout that point.For extra from NBC Latino, join our weekly e-newsletter.