Main content

Dengue outbreak in Latin America

Dengue cases rise across Latin America. Also, Alaskapox, a blood test for Alzheimer鈥檚 disease, kidney transplant diary amd Hydroxyurea for sickle cell anaemia.

Carnival hits the streets in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil this week. As well as preparations for the crowds and colourful processions, health authorities have also been putting in extra measures to try to contain a huge outbreak of dengue fever. Last week a health emergency was declared in the city. And as Claudia hears from Peruvian health journalist Fabiola Torres, cases are rising to levels not seen for decades across the whole of Latin America.

Consultant in public health Dr Ike Anya is in the Health Check studio to take a deeper look at Dengue. He also brings news from Alaska, USA where an elderly man has become the first person to die from Alaskapox, a viral disease more commonly found in small animals like shrews and voles. And could new UK research on 50,000 people鈥檚 blood, help us get one step closer to a predictive blood test for Alzheimer鈥檚 disease?

Claudia and Ike hear from British journalist Mike Powell who has serious kidney failure. Last week Mike鈥檚 kidney transplant operation had to be cancelled due to his donor鈥檚 health. He鈥檚 hoping for some better news this week.

And Claudia speaks to Dr Ruth Namazzi at Makerere University in Uganda. She is co-author of new research that suggests that a common drug for treating the symptoms of sickle cell anaemia could have a transformative effect amongst children with the blood condition in sub-Saharan Africa.

Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producers: Clare Salisbury and Ben Motley
Assistant producer: Imaan Moin

Available now

26 minutes

Last on

Sun 18 Feb 2024 02:32GMT

Broadcasts

  • Wed 14 Feb 2024 20:32GMT
  • Wed 14 Feb 2024 21:32GMT
  • Thu 15 Feb 2024 05:32GMT
  • Thu 15 Feb 2024 13:32GMT
  • Sun 18 Feb 2024 02:32GMT

Podcast