Dengue fever raises concerns in Rimini as cases of the mosquito-borne illness are on the rise. The recent admission of a twenty-year-old patient at the Infermi hospital who was infected during a trip to Vietnam has sparked an alarm in the country. The Romagna Local Health Authority is on high alert and has put in place a prevention, intervention, and monitoring plan in the event of suspected cases of Dengue.
Raffaella Angelini, director of the Public Health Department of the Local Health Authority, emphasizes the importance of early detection and rapid response to potential cases. Once a suspected patient visits a general practitioner or emergency room, blood sampling for testing begins and mosquito control measures are implemented in the surrounding area.
However, Angelini points out that the common tiger mosquito can also transmit Dengue, which requires continued vigilance. The impact of global warming on the mosquito population is also a concern, as milder winters have led to a lesser reduction in the number of mosquitoes in the region. Despite this, cases of Dengue in the region have been mostly imported from travelers returning from South America or Asia.
In 2023, there were four cases of Dengue in Ravenna and one in Rimini, all of which were imported. In 2024, there was an additional case in Rimini, also imported from a trip to a high-risk area. Although the health authorities are keeping a close eye on the situation, there have been only isolated cases and no indigenous outbreaks of the virus recorded since 2007.
Last year, there were five activations of the monitoring protocol for suspected cases in Rimini, although none of them turned out to be confirmed cases of Dengue. The Romagna Local Health Authority continues to monitor the situation closely to prevent any potential outbreaks of the illness.
The arrival of Dengue fever in Rimini has raised concerns, but the health authorities are working diligently to prevent the spread of the disease and protect the local population.