In recent weeks, Honduras has seen a spike in dengue fever cases. Although dengue epidemics are common in the country, this increase is due to a lack of vector control during the COVID-19 pandemic. The changing climate also impacts the transmission of dengue. “It’s climate-sensitive because the mosquito that spreads it breeds in pools of water, which are more common after rainfall, and the mosquito breeding speeds up when it’s hotter and more humid,” said Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) planetary health advisor Lachlan McIver.
Since July, MSF teams have been working to reduce and control dengue in Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras. In some of the most affected neighborhoods, people are forced to store water due to rationing in the area, which increases the number of places where mosquitos can breed. MSF teams visit people in their homes to share information on how they can prevent mosquitos from breeding and fumigate their homes to reduce the presence of adult mosquitoes.
