Peru’s health minister resigns as dengue fever death toll rises

LIMA, June 15 (Reuters) – Peru’s embattled health minister announced her resignation during a speech to Congress on Thursday evening, amid a dengue fever outbreak already responsible for record deaths and infections.

Lawmakers had summoned Health Minister Rosa Gutierrez to face a motion to remove her from her post before she resigns.

President Dina Boluarte accepted the resignation and pledged to “redouble” efforts to improve public health in a Twitter post.

The death toll from the viral outbreak rose to 248, while reported cases topped 146,000, according to official data.

Over the past week, deaths have increased by 24%, with cases jumping by more than 12%.

Hatching is likely to get worse because the torrential rains of the El Nino climatic phenomenon lead to an increase in the populations of mosquitoes, which transmit dengue fever.

Boluarte last week declared a two-month state of emergency across most parts of the country, while most deaths so far have occurred in northern Peru.

Dengue fever symptoms include fever, muscle and joint pain, nausea, and fatigue.

Reporting by Marco Aquino; Written by Valentine Hilaire; Edition by Lincoln Feast.

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