Vaccination against dengue is available in Santander

Santander is one of the regions with the most negative effects from the prevalence of the disease so far in 2024.

The disease leaves thousands infected and several dead in the Region.

According to health authorities in Santander, so far this year more than 34,000 cases of dengue have been registered in the Department and almost 30 people have lost their lives because of this reason. Read also: Learn about preparations for the holiday season in the Bucaramanga metropolitan area

The cities of the metropolitan area of ​​Bucaramanga are the ones reporting the most infected cases and older adults are the ones that have reported the highest number of deaths.

According to the official report, self-medication practices such as giving ‘marriage’ and self-medication would have contributed to an increase in deaths from dengue in Santander.

For the doctor Carlos Augusto Solórzano Ramos, Infectologist at the International Hospital of Colombia, HIC, the increase in cases in the Region is attributed to reasons such as climate change, urban mobility and expansion, and the mutation of a variant of serotype two known as Cosmopolitan. , which facilitates infection in humans. You may be interested in: Gunpowder restrictions will be imposed throughout the Bucaramanga metropolitan area

A vaccine is available against dengue

According to the doctor, Luis Migue Sosa, doctor, infectious disease specialist and professor assigned to the Department of Pediatrics of the UIS School of Medicine, starting in the second semester of this year, a vaccine against dengue is available for people between four is 60 years old. years.

The biologic is available in private and recognized vaccination centers. However, until now, the vaccine is not part of the PAI Annual Immunization Plan, but it is expected that it will be approved very soon. See also: Anti-crime smart camera project approved in Bucaramanga

According to the report, the effectiveness of the QDenga vaccine prevents 91% of serious illnesses and hospitalizations and up to 80% of dengue infections.

“We welcome with great anticipation and hope that we can contribute to the control of dengue and for sure it is one more prevention strategy that joins the known ones already,” said doctor Sosa.

The vaccine is called Qdenga and was developed by the Takeda laboratory. Known side effects include pain and redness at the injection site, fever, headache, muscle pain, general malaise and weakness in some cases.

It should be said that in the case of this vaccine, two measurements are planned, over three months.

Araque Milton VelosaAuthor content

Social communicator – journalist graduated from the Autonomous University of Bucaramanga. He arrived at Vanguardia in 2012 to the web team, working on mobility and infrastructure issues. Winner of the Luis Enrique Figueroa regional journalism award in the category of the best audiovisual work for the Internet, in the years 2016 and 2021 and the Silvia Galvis Award 2021.