Epidemiological update: Dengue in Madeira, October 2012Archived
On 3 October, the Public Health Authority of Portugal (Direção-Geral da Saúde) reported two cases of dengue infection in patients residing in the Autonomous Region of Madeira, Portugal.
On 3 October, the Public Health Authority of Portugal (Direção-Geral da Saúde) reported two cases of dengue infection in patients residing in the Autonomous Region of Madeira, Portugal. Both cases had no recent travel history abroad. The cases are suspected to be autochthonous however epidemiological investigations are still ongoing to confirm this possibility. Additional cases are under investigation by the local authorities and have been reported by the media.
A local response has been activated by the Health Services of the Autonomous Region of Madeira SESARAM, including epidemiological investigation, laboratory diagnosis, health care services response and dissemination of information regarding individual protection against mosquito bites. ECDC, in collaboration with the public health authorities in Portugal, is preparing a Rapid Risk Assessment.
This is the first known occurrence of locally transmitted dengue infection in Madeira, and consequently a new geographical area reporting autochthonous cases in the EU. There have been no reports of confirmed autochthonous dengue infections in the rest of Europe since the 2010 cases in France and Croatia.
