Opinion Sur Joven

Unfortunately, this editorial section has lately referred to natural catastrophes devastating some Argentine regions. Last month, our subject was the Tartagal disaster, a landslide that destroyed this city in the north region of the country.

This time our subject takes place to the eastern region, more precisely in Chaco province, where an epidemic was detected and is expanding throughout the whole country: it’s dengue, a disease transmitted by mosquitoes which has spread through the years, along with Argentina’s poverty and temperature increase. Although the first cases were detected in Chaco, there are patients under analysis in other provinces such as Mendoza, Santa Fe, La Rioja, Corrientes and Tucumán. Several cases were also detected in Buenos Aires.

Dengue is transmitted by the female mosquito of the Aedes Aegypti type, causing high fever, headache, pain in joints and muscles and “broken bones” sensation (in some places, the disease is called “bonebreaker”). If not detected and treated on time, the disease can be mortal. According to statistics, if the disease is correctly dealt with, only one case out of a thousand is mortal.

Dengue is a disease related to poverty. The mosquito deposits its eggs in stagnant waters: buckets and water recipients, open bottles, old tires, among others. In regions without access to potable water, the liquid is usually stored this way, which ends up increasing the spreading possibilities of the mosquito.

It is also associated to climate change. The Aedes Aegypti mosquito, like any other mosquito, has better chances to survive in humid and warm regions.

As we mentioned last month regarding the Tartagal tragedy, we can’t blame the local or national authorities for this. But we must demand governments to take clear and strict measures to prevent this virus from spreading further. This implies, in the first place, not trying to conceal or hide the problem, but to acknowledge it. Secondly, it involves developing an adequate assistance plan for emergencies, as well as prevention. And finally, it implies carrying out the infrastructure works necessary to prevent these types of poverty-related diseases from spreading.

It’s not the authorities’ fault that this epidemic (?) has emerged. But it is their responsibility to deal with it to reduce the mortality of its consequences as much as possible.