Iran’s Deputy Minister of Health, Saeed Karimi, announced 63 new cases of dengue fever, marking it as the country's most critical health issue.
As per Iran International, most of the affected individuals are travelers from the Persian Gulf countries, with cases reported in seven provinces.
Last week, the Ministry of Health reported 138 cases of dengue fever over the past two months and warned of a potential outbreak in September and October.
Meanwhile, in June, the ministry also announced three deaths due to the disease.
Iran is currently grappling with a shortage of doctors and nurses, compounded by the country's ongoing economic crisis.
The first reported case of dengue fever in Iran occurred in 2008 in a patient who had traveled to Malaysia.
The World Health Organization (WHO) describes dengue as a virus spread by mosquitoes, prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions.
Most infected individuals do not show symptoms, but those who do may experience high fever, headache, body aches, nausea, and rash, typically recovering in 1-2 weeks. Severe cases can be fatal and require hospital care.
Globally, the incidence of dengue has surged, with WHO reporting an increase from 505,430 cases in 2000 to 5.2 million in 2019.
The highest number of cases was recorded in 2023, with over 6.5 million cases and 7,300 deaths across more than 80 countries.
