Iran is grappling with a severe outbreak of dengue fever, with more than 40 cities now affected, according to the latest reports from the country’s Ministry of Health. The epidemic, attributed to the Aedes mosquito, has particularly hit the southern provinces of Sistan and Baluchestan, Hormozgan, Bushehr, and Khuzestan, as well as northern provinces such as Gilan, with imminent threats to Mazandaran and Golestan.
Shahnam Arshi, the head of the Ministry’s Center for Infectious Disease Management, warned that the outbreak, driven by the Aedes aegypti species, could become “explosive.” Arshi also reported a resurgence of malaria in Iran, linked to the Anopheles mosquito, further complicating the public health crisis.
The symptoms of dengue fever, often referred to as “breakbone fever,” include high fever, severe headache, body pain, pain behind the eyes, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and skin rashes. These symptoms are causing significant concern among health officials, as the disease’s spread accelerates.
The regime’s Deputy Health Minister, Hossein Farshidi, stated that the Aedes mosquito has been identified in five provinces: Hormozgan, Sistan and Baluchestan, Bushehr, Gilan, and Mazandaran. Farshidi noted that the mosquito strains in the north and south of Iran differ, with the southern variety being more aggressive and capable of causing more severe disease.
Farshidi highlighted that many dengue fever cases are linked to individuals arriving from countries like the United Arab Emirates, raising fears that the outbreak could surpass the dangers posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. He stressed that environmental factors play a crucial role in the transmission of dengue fever, and efforts to disrupt mosquito breeding could help control the disease.
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Over the past three months, Hormozgan province has seen a significant increase in mosquito density, and impending rainfall could exacerbate the problem by enabling mosquito eggs to hatch, leading to a larger outbreak.
In an alarming development, Maqsoud Asadi Samani, Secretary of the Airlines Association, revealed that Aedes mosquito eggs might be transported via passenger luggage on planes, posing an additional risk of spreading the outbreak to new regions.
During a meeting on “Optimal Management, Prevention, and Control of Diseases Transmitted by Aedes Mosquitoes,” Shahnam Arshi confirmed that 40 cities are currently dealing with the Aedes mosquito. He explained that the mosquito can transmit four diseases: dengue fever, yellow fever, chikungunya, and Zika, none of which have definitive vaccines or treatments.
Arshi warned that the Aedes mosquito not only presents a health challenge but could also lead to broader problems if not controlled. For instance, Zika virus infections can cause severe birth defects such as microcephaly in newborns.
With dengue fever threatening to become a major health crisis, the Iranian regime’s response remains inadequate, raising fears of a full-blown epidemic in the coming months.