Peru registers 5,000 cases of dengue fever in past two months

LIMA, March 9 (Chinese media) -- Peru registered 5,000 cases of dengue fever

during January and February, which has become a public health problem, Health

Minister Oscar Ugarte said on Monday.

Ugarte told the press that 13,500 people were infected last year.

He announced the launching of a campaign against dengue designed to raise

public awareness of the importance of clearing stagnant water or hidden water

deposits where the Aedes egypti mosquito, a dengue carrier, breeds.

"We have an enormous responsibility to combat dengue because it is lethal

... a high social cost on human lives," Ugarte said.

He said combating dengue was easy. Daily actions were needed to avoid water

stagnating in topless containers, and replacing water in flowerpots with humid

sand both at home and at public places.

Ugarte also called on Peruvians to clear roofs or yards of tires, empty

bottles or boxes where rainwater can accumulate.

"It is a national campaign. If we do not take measures now, we will have an

epidemic," he said.