Dengue

Mexico faces a growing dengue epidemic in 2025. Learn which virus strains, regions, and risk factors are driving severe cases and hospital deaths.

Despite rising dengue outbreaks, many Latin American countries struggle with fragmented mosquito surveillance, limited diagnostics, and underfunded public health systems. Without stronger surveillance and investment, the true scale of dengue transmission remains hidden, delaying effective responses.

Figure 1. CDC Gravid Trap for mosquito surveillance and pathogen testing. Source: NIAID, Flickr. In 2024, Latin America and the Caribbean faced the worst dengue outbreak in recorded history, with over 12.6 million suspected cases and more than 7,700 deaths, according to a recent Reuters report. The crisis has escalated into a major public health…

Artificial intelligence is transforming mosquito control in Brazil by enhancing biological strategies like Wolbachia deployment, predator analysis, and drone-assisted hotspot detection. As shown in research by Beraldo et al., integrating AI with nature-based methods offers a smarter, more sustainable path to dengue prevention, reducing reliance on pesticides while empowering communities.

Dengue is exploding across Latin America, with over 12 million cases and 1,000+ deaths reported in 2024 alone. What’s driving this surge? From invasive mosquito species and fast-evolving viruses to vaccine gaps and climate extremes, the region is facing a perfect storm of risk. In this post, we break down five key factors fueling the spike, and what it means for the future of public health in Latin America.