Rio opens dengue care center amid health emergency over new outbreak

A care center opened by Rio de Janeiro City Hall to manage a new outbreak of dengue fever that has led the Brazilian city to declare a health emergency just days before Carnival celebrations kick off. In the first four weeks of 2024, over 262,000 probable cases were recorded, according to the latest figures available from the Brazilian Health Ministry's database.

President of the National Council of Health Secretaries pointed to high temperatures as a major factor behind the spread of the mosquito-born illness. The Brazilian government announced that a free vaccination campaign targeting 3.2 million people would take place in February, with priority given to children aged 10 to 14.