Increasing arbovirus risk in Chile and neighboring countries in the Southern Cone of South America

Abstract

On April 26, 2023, Chile declared a public health emergency in its northern and central regions inresponse to the presence of Aedes aegypti and the epidemiological situation of neighboring countries.Aedes aegpyti is a highly efficient vector of dengue, chikungunya, Zika, and other arboviruses. The mosquito recently expanded within Parinacota (northern continental Chile) and was detected in Los Andes, Valparaíso Region (32◦50′ S, 70◦32′ W, elevation ∼800 m), a location with no previous history of the vector. The emergency declaration also noted the proliferation of Anopheles pseudopuntipenis, a malaria vector, in Pica, Tarapacá region (20◦28′ S, 69◦18′ W, elevation 1320 m).