Health and digital safety authorities issue warnings for minors and public health

Health authorities in Bolivia, Mexico, and Peru are issuing urgent warnings to prevent dengue outbreaks during upcoming religious observances. In Bolivia, the Risk Management Unit is urging citizens to use sand instead of water in flower vases at cemeteries to prevent mosquito breeding. Similarly, in Querétaro, Mexico, the State Health Secretariat (SESA) has deployed vector control brigades to cemeteries following confirmed local cases and a death. Health officials in Peru are also recommending the use of damp sand or artificial flowers to mitigate risks.

In the digital sphere, scientific associations and Mexican legislators are addressing risks to minors. Fourteen scientific and medical societies have endorsed a decalogue to protect children from digital environments, recommending zero screen time before age six and strict limits for older children. In Mexico, Senator Luis Donaldo Colosio Riojas and Senator Agustín Dorantes have highlighted critical risks in cyberspace, including privacy violations, social media violence, and forced recruitment for crimes. Legislators are calling for greater inclusion of youth voices in digital policy and the implementation of measures to regulate smartphone use in schools.