Peru deploys dengue battalion to fight rising cases

In Piura, Peru, Minister of Health Luis Dyer Fernández launched a Dengue Battalion of over 100 people to combat the spread of dengue fever.

The group will focus on protecting vulnerable populations, children, pregnant women, and older adults, from the mosquito-borne illness. The government assigned resources to 127 health facilities, including 69 in the North Macroregion, and trained 5,000 health workers to carry out preventative measures.

The Battalion includes inspectors, community health workers, and vaccination teams who will identify and control mosquito breeding sites across Piura. Minister Dyer also visited a field hospital in Piura, preparing for potential overcrowding of health centers. He recently visited Cusco and Ucayali as part of a broader prevention effort against dengue and heatstroke, following heavy rainfall in the provinces of Piura and Chulucanas that created ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes.