Paraná and Goiás issue dengue alerts amid El Niño

The health secretariats of Brazil's southern state Paraná and central state Goiás have warned residents to intensify prevention of dengue, chikungunya and Zika as the El Niño climate pattern brings heavier rains in Paraná and a prolonged dry spell in Goiás. Paraná officials cite a sharp rise in dengue deaths, from 62 in 2016 to 738 in 2024, and urge use of ovitraps, Wolbachia‑infected mosquitoes and prompt medical care. Goiás reports 147,084 dengue notifications to July 2026, with 75 confirmed deaths, and a growing number of chikungunya cases, prompting calls to eliminate breeding sites even during drought.

Both states stress that the El Niño‑driven weather—intense rain in the south and high temperatures with low humidity in the centre—accelerates the Aedes aegypti life cycle, shortening development from ten to five days. Preventive actions include systematic ovitrap monitoring, community education on water storage, and free dengue vaccination for adolescents aged 10‑14 through the public health system.