Brazil on alert over epidemic rates of dengue fever

World Today

A spike in dengue fever is putting hundreds of cities in Brazil on alert. The mosquito-borne disease can cause severe fever, joint pain and even convulsions. CCTV’s Stephen Gibbs filed this report from Rio de Janeiro.

Highlights:

  • One in ten cities in Brazil have declared epidemic-level rates of dengue fever.
  • At least 76 people in Brazil have died of the disease since the beginning of 2015.
  • There is a direct link between how densely people live together in mega cities like Rio de Janeiro and how quickly dengue outbreaks spread.