NEW DELHI: Peru declared a health emergency on Monday (Feb 26) in most provinces in the country due to rising dengue cases. The rise in a number of case is taking place at a time when El Nino, the weather phenomenon is causing higher-than-average temperatures.

The Peruvian health ministry has said that the in first seven weeks of the month, the number of registered dengue cases is twice as high as it was during the same period in 2023.

More than 31,000 cases have been recorded this time around.

Peru's Health Minister Cesar Vasquez has already said that the situation is getting out of hand. He made his comments last week before declaration of the emergency.

As the emergency has been declared now, the country's government will now be able to tarnsfer funds faster to the regions hit hard by the disease and also dispatch doctors and nurses. The emergency will cover 20 of Peru's 24 provinces. Some of these regions surround country's capital Lima.

Peru witnessed a dengue epidemic last year as well. It put the country's public health system under severe strain. The disease is spread by a mosquito called Aedys Egypti. The mosquito reproduces in hot and humid conditions.

Dengue can cause severe headache, fever and pain in muscles.

The dengue epidemic in Peru killed 18 people last year. This year, 32 people have died in first two months alone.

The World Health Organization said in December last year that the 2023 epidemic in Peru was linked to rains and high temperatures which enabled the mosquitoes to grow.