Editorial photo #1606361 Health

Diseases transmitted by virus killed 734 people in Brazil in 2016

In Brazil, the rainy season starts with the approach of summer. Rainwater accumulates in puddles and rubbish discarded irregularly on city rails and this increases the population of mosquitoes capable of transmitting disease. According to data from the Ministry of Health, in 2016 1,946,765 cases of Dengue, Zika Virus and Chikungunya were registered, which caused the deaths of 734 people. In this image, it is possible to see garbage and accumulated water on the railroad tracks that carry passengers in the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro on 15 December 2016. Garbage and scrub accumulate rainwater and help to proliferate the mosquito Aedes Aegypti, which causes Dengue, Zika Virus and Chikungunya. These mosquito breeding sites are close to one of the largest parks in the city - Parque Madureira, a place used to practice sports, and is also a tourist attraction in Rio de Janeiro, putting tourists and residents at risk. (Photo by Luiz Souza/NurPhoto)