Africa-Press – Cape verde. EMPROFAC, responsible for the distribution of medicines and pharmaceutical products, clarified that, although there has been a significant increase in demand for repellents, the current stock is guaranteed.
“We would like to clarify that, at the moment, EMPROFAC has a stock of repellents”, the company told Expresso das Ilhas, via email.
The company acknowledges that demand for the product has exceeded the usual average.
To meet this demand, the company states that it has increased its stock of repellents by transferring them from the São Vicente warehouse to the Praia warehouse.
“We have increased orders from our international suppliers”, it added.
As EMPROFAC revealed, there is currently a large volume of stock in transit that will further reinforce its ability to meet the demand for repellents in pharmacies.
In statements to Rádio Pública, the Executive Director of EMPROFAC, Sara Pires, admitted that on Friday, the 27th, there was a shortage of repellents in the Praia warehouse.
“In the meantime, we had already transferred the product from the warehouse in São Vicente to the warehouse in Praia, which we received at the weekend and was also received at the weekend, and today it was also available at the warehouse in Praia,” he stated.
Which repellents keep the dengue mosquito away?
According to EMPROFAC’s Facebook post, using repellents is important to avoid bites, but not all products are effective against the dengue mosquito.
To be effective, it explains, the repellent must contain one of the following substances: Icaridin; DEET; IR3535.
The same source clarifies that mosquito repellent with 50% DEET offers prolonged protection, lasting up to 10 hours.
“50% DEET is the dosage recommended by the WHO to ensure effective and prolonged protection against mosquitoes that transmit diseases such as malaria, dengue and Zika,” it reads. IR3535, on the other hand, offers protection for up to four hours.
Dengue fever epidemiological situation
According to the Dengue Bulletin, on 30 September the country recorded 191 suspected cases, 103 confirmed cases and 3 hospitalised cases and 0 deaths. No cases of severe dengue fever were reported.
The country currently has 8,576 reported cases, of which 5,507 were confirmed and two deaths accumulated.
Of the 103 new cases, according to the document, 66 were in Praia, one in Ribeira Grande de Santiago, 10 in São Filipe, 16 in Mosteiros, two in Santa Catarina de Fogo and three in Brava.
Ribeira Grande de Santo Antão recorded one new case and Boa Vista four. The country has now accumulated 5,507 cases of dengue fever, 4,086 of which were in Praia.
Text originally published in the printed edition of Expresso das Ilhas no. 1192 of 2 October 2024.
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