Brazilian municipalities launch dengue control and aeromedical emergency initiatives

In Varginha, Minas Gerais, the Municipal Guard and the Environmental Health Surveillance team have begun a joint operation to combat dengue, chikungunya and Zika. The partnership focuses on identifying and removing abandoned vehicles, scrap metal and other containers that can collect rainwater and become breeding sites for Aedes aegypti. Officials will issue citations and fines to owners, while also conducting public education campaigns and encouraging residents to report potential sites through a mobile app, phone, WhatsApp or email.

In João Pessoa, Paraíba, the municipal health department has secured the temporary use of a PRF aeromedical helicopter, an AW119 "Koala," to support the regional SAMU emergency service through June 15. The aircraft, equipped as a mobile intensive‑care unit, enables rapid transport of patients between João Pessoa, Campina Grande and surrounding municipalities, cutting travel time to 25–30 minutes. The health secretariat also delivered ten new motorbikes to renew the SAMU fleet, enhancing ground response capabilities.