UPDATE: March 30, 2009 - The dengue fever epidemic continues to spread throughout Bolivia. Nearly 6,000 confirmed cases and more than 20 deaths have been reported.
All of the Compassion-assisted children who were treated for dengue fever have recovered.
Please pray to the Lord for intervention, for this outbreak to stop. Continue to pray for His healing hand to be over our children and staff.
Compassion Bolivia will keep us updated as more information is available.
Compassion International will contact you if your sponsored child has been affected.
UPDATE: March 18, 2009 – The dengue fever epidemic continues to spread throughout Bolivia with more than 5,300 confirmed cases and 20 deaths.
The majority of the cases continue to occur in north Santa Cruz, where Compassion operates many child development centers.
More than 260 Compassion-assisted children have been treated for dengue fever.
At this time, all Compassion-assisted children who were sick have recovered.
The Bolivia Office continues to work with child development centers in the affected area to:
- eliminate mosquito breeding sites
- identify and treat suspected cases
- educate the families of sponsored children
- develop emergency action plans
UPDATE: March 4, 2009 – Dengue fever continues to plague Bolivia, with more than 4,000 confirmed cases and 18 deaths.
The majority of the cases are in the north part of Santa Cruz, where Compassion operates many child development centers.
Children from Compassion-assisted centers continue to be treated for dengue fever.
Eight students from the Leadership Development Program are also receiving medical support.
Although the epidemic continues to grow throughout Bolivia, it has decreased among Compassion-assisted children.
UPDATE: Feb. 23, 2009 – Dengue fever continues to spread throughout Bolivia.
Children from an additional 13 Compassion-assisted child development centers have been affected.
All the child development centers in northern Bolivia are buying fumigating equipment and insecticide and will be trained by the Health Service Department on how to use it.
Neighboring countries are donating fumigators and insecticide to assist the situation.
Partnership Facilitators will visit child development centers and work with partner churches and the community to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds.
UPDATE: Feb. 6, 2009 – Currently, more than 8,000 cases of dengue fever have been reported throughout Bolivia.
More than 140 children at seven Compassion-assisted child development centers are being treated for dengue fever.
Of these 140, two cases are the more serious form of dengue with hemorrhaging. About 10 children have been hospitalized.
Additionally, almost 20 relatives of Compassion-assisted children are being treated for dengue fever. One of these has dengue with hemorrhaging, and six have been hospitalized.
Compassion Bolivia staff are assisting centers to prevent the further spread of dengue by:
- educating families about Dengue
- taking measures to prevent mosquitoes from breeding
- checking on children who miss attending center activities
- assisting centers in fumigating buildings
UPDATE: Feb. 3, 2009 - Dengue fever continues to spread through the Santa Cruz region of Bolivia, with more than 7,000 cases now reported.
Some children from Compassion-assisted child development centers in Santa Cruz have been affected.
All Compassion-assisted children infected with dengue fever continue to receive medial attention.
Feb. 2, 2009 - An outbreak of dengue fever has caused more than 6,500 infections in nine regions of Bolivia.
An outcome of the disease, hemorrhaging, has resulted in four deaths, and the Bolivian government has declared a national health alert.
The most heavily affected region is Santa Cruz, where seven Compassion-assisted child development centers are located.
Several of our Compassion-assisted children from these centers have been infected with dengue fever and are receiving medical treatment.
Affected child development centers are fumigating their buildings as well as the homes of infected children.
The Bolivian government is providing medical treatment, mosquito nets and fumigation equipment.
