Health Authorities Combatting 692% Surge in Cartagena Dengue Fever Cases

Cartagena, Colombia, has reported a substantial increase in dengue cases during the initial weeks of 2025. According to the District Department of Health (DADIS), as of the fourth epidemiological week, there have been 1,778 reported cases, marking a 692% rise compared to the same period in 2024, which had 220 cases.

Of the current cases, 75.2% are classified as dengue without warning signs, while 23.9% exhibit more severe symptoms. Additionally, 16 individuals have been diagnosed with severe dengue. The most affected age groups are children aged 10 to 14 and adolescents aged 15 to 19. Notably, nearly half of the cases are concentrated in neighborhoods such as Olaya Herrera, El Pozón, Ciudad Bicentenario, Nelson Mandela, and San José de los Campanos.

In severe cases, dengue can be fatal.

In response to the surge, DADIS has intensified fumigation efforts in high-incidence areas. Interventions have been conducted in 88,156 residences, covering approximately 40% of Cartagena’s population. These efforts are complemented by educational campaigns, reaching over 52,000 households and impacting 158,358 individuals. Residents are encouraged to maintain clean homes, eliminate standing water, and remove potential mosquito breeding sites.

DADIS Director Rafael Navarro España emphasized the city’s endemic status regarding dengue, highlighting the importance of ongoing interventions to prevent case complications. He stated, “We are in an endemic period. Cartagena is an endemic city, which means we will always have disease incidence and mosquitoes. Therefore, we must always try to intervene to prevent cases from becoming complicated.”

Concurrently, DADIS is formulating a comprehensive plan to mitigate dengue’s impact throughout 2025. In 2024, the “Que el dengue no se convierta en un dolor de cabeza” (“Don’t Let Dengue Become a Headache”) strategy led to preventive actions in 52,656 homes, affecting 187,538 individuals across the city’s three localities. Chemical control measures also targeted 88,156 residences, benefiting 354,084 community members.

Health authorities are currently investigating three potential dengue-related fatalities in Cartagena. The Pan American Health Organization has issued a regional alert due to the rising number of dengue cases, noting that Colombia, along with Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina, accounted for 90% of cases in 2024. According to the World Health Organization, about half of the world’s population is now at risk of dengue, with an estimated 100–400 million infections occurring each year.

Residents and visitors are urged to remain vigilant, use mosquito repellent, remove possible mosquito breeding areas, and collaborate with health officials to control the mosquito population and reduce the disease’s spread.

Headline Image: Dengue Fever in the city of Cartagena. Photo credit: DADIS Cartagena.