Rio de Janeiro has declared a dengue health emergency days before Carnival is due to start

Rio de Janeiro city authorities have declared a public health emergency in the city because of an outbreak of mosquito-borne dengue fever

RIO DE JANEIRO -- Rio de Janeiro has declared a public health emergency because of an outbreak of mosquito-borne dengue fever, the city said in its official gazette on Monday, just days before Carnival celebrations kick off across Brazil.

But the outbreak wasn't expected to disrupt Carnival, which officially starts on Friday evening and runs until Feb. 14.

Rio city hall announced the opening of 10 care centers, the creation of an emergency operations center and the allocation of hospital beds for dengue patients. Authorities will also use “smoke cars” in regions with the highest incidence of cases, diffusing an insecticide in the air.

Since the beginning of 2024, the municipality has registered more than 10,000 dengue cases. That is just under half of the total cases — 23,000 — recorded throughout all of 2023.

The announcement comes as tourists and revelers are pouring into Rio to take part in street parties and attend the samba schools’ flamboyant parades.