UN Authorizes Second Shot to Fight Dengue in Americas
2024-05-20
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1The World Health Organization recently authorized a second dengue vaccine.
2The move could provide protection for millions of people worldwide against the mosquito-borne disease.
3This year, several dengue outbreaks have happened in places across the Americas.
4In a statement on May 15, the U.N. health agency said it approved the dengue vaccine made by the Japanese drugmaker Takeda.
5Takeda's dengue vaccine is known as Qdenga.
6It was previously approved by the European Medicines Agency in 2022.
7The two-dose vaccine is given three months apart.
8It protects against the four kinds of dengue.
9The WHO recommends its use in children between the ages of 6 and 16 who live in areas with high rates of dengue.
10Approval by the WHO now means that donors and other U.N. agencies can purchase the vaccine for poorer countries.
11Studies have shown Takeda's vaccine is about 84 percent effective in preventing people from being hospitalized and about 61 percent effective in stopping symptoms.
12WHO's Rogerio Gaspar is director for the agency's approvals of medicines and vaccines.
13He said it was "an important step in the expansion of global access to dengue vaccines."
14The first dengue vaccine that the WHO approved was made by the drugmaker Sanofi Pasteur.
15The vaccine was later found to increase the risk of severe dengue in people who had not been infected with the disease before.
16There is no exact treatment for dengue.
17It is a leading cause of serious illness and death in about 120 Latin American and Asian countries.
18About 80 percent of infections are mild.
19But severe cases of dengue can lead to internal bleeding, organ failure, and death.
20Last week, the WHO reported there were 6.7 million suspected cases of dengue in the Americas.
21That is an increase of 206 percent compared with the same period last year.
22In March of this year, officials in Rio de Janeiro declared a public health emergency over its dengue epidemic.
23Brazilian health officials began giving out the Takeda vaccine with the goal of protecting at least 3 million people.
24Infectious disease experts say climate change and the increased range of mosquitoes that carry dengue are partly to blame for the spread of the disease.
25I'm Anna Matteo.
1The World Health Organization recently authorized a second dengue vaccine. The move could provide protection for millions of people worldwide against the mosquito-borne disease. 2This year, several dengue outbreaks have happened in places across the Americas. 3In a statement on May 15, the U.N. health agency said it approved the dengue vaccine made by the Japanese drugmaker Takeda. 4Takeda's dengue vaccine is known as Qdenga. It was previously approved by the European Medicines Agency in 2022. The two-dose vaccine is given three months apart. It protects against the four kinds of dengue. The WHO recommends its use in children between the ages of 6 and 16 who live in areas with high rates of dengue. 5Approval by the WHO now means that donors and other U.N. agencies can purchase the vaccine for poorer countries. 6Studies have shown Takeda's vaccine is about 84 percent effective in preventing people from being hospitalized and about 61 percent effective in stopping symptoms. 7WHO's Rogerio Gaspar is director for the agency's approvals of medicines and vaccines. He said it was "an important step in the expansion of global access to dengue vaccines." 8The first dengue vaccine that the WHO approved was made by the drugmaker Sanofi Pasteur. The vaccine was later found to increase the risk of severe dengue in people who had not been infected with the disease before. 9There is no exact treatment for dengue. It is a leading cause of serious illness and death in about 120 Latin American and Asian countries. About 80 percent of infections are mild. But severe cases of dengue can lead to internal bleeding, organ failure, and death. 10Last week, the WHO reported there were 6.7 million suspected cases of dengue in the Americas. That is an increase of 206 percent compared with the same period last year. In March of this year, officials in Rio de Janeiro declared a public health emergency over its dengue epidemic. Brazilian health officials began giving out the Takeda vaccine with the goal of protecting at least 3 million people. 11Infectious disease experts say climate change and the increased range of mosquitoes that carry dengue are partly to blame for the spread of the disease. 12I'm Anna Matteo. 13Reporters for the Associated Press wrote this story. Anna Matteo adapted it for VOA Learning English. 14_________________________________________________ 15Words in This Story 16authorized -adj. having or done with legal or official approval 17borne -adj. transported or transmitted by -used in combination as in mosquito-borne illness 18previously -adv. going before in time or order 19symptom -n. a change in a living thing that indicates the presence of a disease or other physical disorder 20global -adj. of, relating to, or involving the entire world 21access -n. permission or power to enter, approach, or make use of 22mild -adj. moderate in action or effect : not severe 23epidemic -n. spreading widely and affecting many individuals at one time 24range -n. the distance or amount included or gone over