The Ministry of Health announced on April 2 that it has set up an information booth and deployed Community Health Agents at the Yerbateros bus terminal to encourage travelers to take preventive measures against dengue and leptospirosis.
This initiative comes as Holy Week begins, a period when many people travel across the country. The ministry aims to raise awareness among travelers about the importance of taking precautions to avoid these diseases.
The recommendations for preventing dengue include applying repellent every four hours, wearing light clothing that covers most of the skin, choosing accommodations with proper protection such as screens on doors and windows or using mosquito nets while camping, eliminating possible mosquito breeding sites at home before traveling, washing and covering water containers properly, replacing water in flower vases with wet sand or floral foam, cleaning pet water bowls when not in use, and seeking medical attention if symptoms like high fever, severe headache, muscle or joint pain, rash, nausea or vomiting appear. Self-medication should be avoided.
For leptospirosis prevention, people are advised to avoid contact with stagnant water or floods—using rubber boots if necessary—wash hands frequently, store food correctly after washing it thoroughly, drink boiled water only, and seek medical help rather than self-medicating if experiencing high fever, severe headache, muscle pain (especially in lower back and legs), abdominal pain, red eyes, nausea or diarrhea.
Yuri Alegre Valdez said prevention is key: “Las actividades preventivas responden a las políticas de gestión del ministro de Salud, Juan Velasco Guerrero, quien prioriza el cuidado de cada peruano.”
As Holy Week leads to increased travel throughout Peru’s regions this year again—the ministry’s efforts focus on equipping citizens with knowledge needed for their health.
