A significant outbreak of dengue fever in the city of Fano has raised concerns within the scientific community.
Italian scientists are alarmed by the growing number of dengue cases in the Marche region, located in central Italy. The outbreak is concentrated in Fano, where over 100 confirmed cases have been recorded since mid-August, with 35 patients requiring hospitalization, according to Reuters.
The city is also investigating ten additional suspected cases still awaiting confirmation. Last year, the northern region of Lombardy saw the most dengue cases, but the total was under 80.
No Dengue Deaths in Italy This Year
So far, there have been no fatalities from dengue in Italy this year. However, doctors fear the situation may be worse than reported, as many asymptomatic cases go unreported.
“The situation is out of control, and there are likely double the number of infections than officially recorded. Let’s hope winter arrives soon,” wrote Roberto Burioni, a professor of virology at Milan’s San Raffaele University, on Facebook.
Scientists are still investigating why Fano, a coastal city of 60,000 on the Adriatic Sea, has been so severely affected. “Fortunately, the outbreak area is quite small,” said Flavia Riccardi, head of infectious disease research at Italy’s National Health Institute, attributing this to the limited movement of mosquitoes.
