PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) — The city of Puerto Vallarta is on the brink of a dengue fever outbreak, as cases of the disease are expected to skyrocket due to a sudden overpopulation of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the vector responsible for transmitting the virus. This alarming situation is being attributed to the proliferation of larvae in home hatcheries, according to Jaime Álvarez Zayas, director of the VIII Sanitary Region.
“There is an explosion of mosquitoes in the city,” warned Álvarez Zayas, expressing grave concern over the fact that the situation has escalated despite concerted efforts to control the mosquito population.
The director pointed to a surge in breeding sites inside homes, following failures in the water supply at the onset of the rainy season. As people began collecting rainwater in buckets, it created an environment for Aedes aegypti larvae to thrive.
“The vector brigade and clean patio are making home visits as part of their normal work, and they have reported to us that they have found inside the houses that people collect rainwater in the absence of water service; but the problem is that larvae of the Aedes aegypti mosquito are already being found,” he explained.
This situation has led to an increase of more than 80 percent in home hatcheries compared to the previous year.
Álvarez Zayas also noted that the heat has shortened the reproductive cycle of the dengue-transmitting mosquito from one week to just three or five days. This phenomenon, along with the proliferation of hatcheries with larvae, has resulted in “an explosion of mosquitoes in the city.”
The two confirmed cases of dengue in Puerto Vallarta so far this year underscore the latent risk of an epidemic, given the overpopulation of the transmitting mosquito.
Despite ongoing efforts, such as decacharrization campaigns to reduce breeding sites, the vector population is overwhelming. Álvarez Zayas urged the public to aid in the containment of the problem by covering containers where water is stored, to prevent the mosquito from laying eggs.
The current situation in Puerto Vallarta mirrors a significant outbreak in the south of the country, where dengue, chikungunya, and zika are also spreading in Yucatan and Quintana Roo.
With evidence of larvae presence in hatcheries and a shortened mosquito reproduction cycle, scientific reports are indicating that an outbreak of dengue is expected due to the overpopulation of the mosquito.
Public health officials, residents, and travelers are urged to take precautionary measures to mitigate the risk and spread of this potentially deadly disease. The collaboration of the community in following sanitary guidelines and being vigilant in preventing mosquito breeding will be key to averting a full-blown health crisis in the city.
