International

Ecuador registered 173 cases of dengue fever since the beginning of the year

February 3^rd |

This year alone, Ecuador has already registered 173 cases of dengue fever in the localities that make up zone 8 of the country, composed of Guayaquil, Durán and Samborondón, according to the Ministry of Public Health.

The epidemiological report of the health portfolio indicates that there are 95 patients in Guayaquil and 78 in Durán, while in Samborondón there are still no cases of this disease. Health authorities have reported a slight increase compared to the same period last year, when 162 cases were registered. In total, during 2022, there were 2,600 patients with dengue fever in these three cities.

As part of the preventive and health work, brigades of the Ministry of Health travel through neighborhoods of Guayaquil to carry out evaluations of water reservoirs in homes that usually attract dengue mosquitoes.

During the rounds, health officials also check buckets, containers and other objects where water can stagnate.

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The Ministry of Health has also enabled the reception of people who can attend the health centers and request a visit from the Ministry’s brigades to their neighborhoods.

In addition, as part of their work, they tested the water found in these reservoirs and found Aedes aegypti aquatic larvae, which are vectors of tropical diseases. This is a domestic mosquito, which lives in and near houses and breeds in any artificial or natural container containing water.

The dengue-transmitting mosquito lays its eggs in artificial containers containing water, mainly barrels and tires, which are in or around houses, schools or workplaces. Aedes aegypti eggs can withstand dry environmental conditions for more than a year. This is considered one of the most important strategies the species employs to survive and spread, according to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

To eliminate mosquitoes, PAHO recommends the following actions: avoid collecting water in outdoor containers (flower pots, bottles or other containers that can collect water) so that they do not become breeding sites for mosquitoes; adequately cover water tanks and reservoirs to keep mosquitoes away; avoid accumulating garbage; dispose of garbage in closed plastic bags.

Several residents of the neighborhoods of Guayaquil and Duran have testified that, due to the storm, the presence of mosquitoes increases, especially in areas with lots of vegetation such as parks, where water also accumulates.

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According to PAHO, dengue is a disease transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito and can affect people of all ages. Symptoms range from a mild fever to a disabling fever, as well as severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pain, and erythema – reddening of the skin.

The disease may progress and become severe. In this state there is respiratory distress or severe organ damage.

Dengue, according to PAHO, has a seasonal behavior. In countries of the Southern hemisphere, most cases occur during the first half of the year, while in the Northern hemisphere, cases occur mostly in the second half of the year. This pattern of behavior corresponds to the warmest and rainiest months.

PAHO data indicate that around 500 million people in the Americas are at risk of contracting dengue. Aedes aegypti, which is the mosquito vector for dengue, is widely distributed throughout the territory, with the exception of Canada and continental Chile, which are dengue-free. In the case of Uruguay, although the mosquito is present, no cases of dengue fever have been reported.

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International

Federal immigration agents kill man in Minneapolis, sparking protests and outrage

Federal immigration agents shot and killed a 37-year-old Minneapolis man during an operation on Saturday, authorities confirmed, sparking new protests and deepening outrage over federal immigration enforcement in the city.

The victim, identified as Alex Jeffrey Pretti, was a U.S. citizen and intensive care nurse who worked at a Veterans Affairs hospital and was widely respected in his community, according to colleagues and news reports.

Officials said the shooting occurred during a targeted immigration raid in south Minneapolis. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) described the incident as an act of self-defense by agents who believed the man posed a threat.

However, videos reviewed by multiple outlets and eyewitnesses show Pretti holding a phone and not displaying a weapon before being pepper-sprayed, tackled by agents and then shot multiple times, raising serious questions about the official account.

The killing comes amid a broader federal immigration enforcement operation in the city and follows another controversial shooting in early January in which Renée Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, was fatally shot by an ICE agent, leading to widespread protests and criticism of federal tactics.

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International

Delcy Rodríguez seeks political agreements after Maduro’s ouster

Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, on Saturday called for “reaching agreements” with the opposition to achieve “peace” in the country, which the United States says it now controls following the military operation that removed President Nicolás Maduro from power.

Rodríguez, who previously served as Maduro’s vice president, assumed interim leadership after the leftist leader was captured on January 3 during a military incursion that left nearly 100 people dead.

In her first public statements since taking office, Rodríguez signaled a shift in the strained relationship between Caracas and Washington, while also committing to the release of a “significant number” of political prisoners.

“There can be no political or partisan differences when it comes to the peace of Venezuela,” Rodríguez said during an address in the coastal state of La Guaira, broadcast on state television VTV.

“From our differences, we must speak to one another with respect. From our differences, we must meet and reach agreements,” she added.

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The day before, Rodríguez instructed the head of Parliament — her brother Jorge Rodríguez — to convene talks with various political sectors in the country aimed at achieving “concrete and immediate results.”

International

Bogotá and Quito Seek Dialogue After Tariffs and Power Cut Escalate Tensions

Bogotá and Quito will hold an emergency bilateral summit next week amid recent developments that have strained relations between the two countries.

Tensions escalated this week after Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa unexpectedly announced a 30% tariff on Colombian imports. Colombia responded with a reciprocal measure, imposing the same tariff on around 20 Ecuadorian products and suspending electricity exports to Ecuador.

Aware that electricity imports are critical to easing Ecuador’s recent energy crises, Quito further imposed a 30% tariff on the transportation of Colombian oil through its territory.

However, recent statements from the Ecuadorian government suggest that dialogue between the two sides has intensified in recent hours. Ecuador’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gabriela Sommerfeld, confirmed that active conversations are under way.

In Colombia, segments of the business sector have welcomed the prospect of negotiations. The National Business Council (Consejo Gremial Nacional, CGN), for instance, urged both governments to restore commercial relations, warning that the dispute “puts jobs and regional economic stability at risk.”