{"id":13751,"date":"2026-06-03T14:33:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-03T19:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/?p=13751"},"modified":"2026-06-03T10:58:16","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T15:58:16","slug":"influenza-deaths-reach-43-in-panama-2026-outbreak","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/health\/influenza-deaths-reach-43-in-panama-2026-outbreak\/","title":{"rendered":"Influenza Deaths Reach 43 in Panama 2026 Outbreak"},"content":{"rendered":"

Panama is facing a surge in respiratory illnesses. The Ministry of Health reported 43 influenza deaths so far this year. New data from the epidemiological report for week 19, covering May 10 to 16, shows the virus remains a serious threat.<\/p>\n

Health officials confirmed one new fatality during that week. They also updated a death from the previous week. More than half of the victims, 55.8 percent, were 65 years or older. None of the deceased had received the current season’s flu vaccine. A staggering 82 percent also skipped the 2025 vaccine. Most had underlying conditions like metabolic, cardiovascular, or kidney diseases.<\/p>\n

Influenza and severe respiratory infections strain the system<\/h2>\n

The Panama Ministry of Health respiratory disease<\/strong> report<\/a> reveals 752 new influenza-like illness cases in week 19 alone. This brings the annual total to 15,313. Severe acute respiratory infections, including pneumonia and bronchopneumonia, added 370 new cases. The year-to-date count now stands at 6,695.<\/p>\n

Hospital wards are feeling the pressure. Doctors urge the public to get vaccinated immediately. The shot remains the best defense against severe outcomes. “We cannot stress enough the importance of immunization,” said a Ministry spokesperson. [Translated from Spanish]<\/p>\n

“None of the deceased had protection from this year’s vaccine. That is a preventable tragedy. We must reach vulnerable populations, especially the elderly.” [Translated from Spanish]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The ministry continues free vaccination campaigns nationwide. Clinics and mobile units are operating extended hours. Officials target high-risk groups including pregnant women, children under five, and people with chronic conditions.<\/p>\n

\"influenza\"
Influenza by Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Alpha Stock Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dengue cases climb while malaria persists<\/h2>\n

Vector-borne diseases remain a parallel crisis. Panama dengue fever surveillance<\/a> shows 2,581 total cases. Of these, 2,253 patients show no warning signs. However, 311 patients have alarm signals and 17 suffer from severe dengue. The disease spreads through mosquito bites in urban and rural areas.<\/p>\n

Malaria continues its steady climb. Health authorities recorded 43 new infections in week 19. The annual tally has reached 3,735 cases. Most occur in indigenous regions and remote jungle communities. Control teams are distributing bed nets and spraying insecticides.<\/p>\n

Leishmaniasis also shows a worrying trend. The country reported 82 new cases in the latest week. The 2026 cumulative figure now sits at 1,067. This parasitic disease spreads through sand fly bites and causes skin ulcers.<\/p>\n

\"mosquito
mosquito dengue<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Other diseases under watch show mixed results<\/h2>\n

Zika virus has not recorded a single case this year. Chikungunya remains low with just four total cases. Oropouche fever holds steady at seven confirmed infections with no new reports. Hantavirus cases stay at nine for both the fever and cardiopulmonary syndrome forms. Leptospirosis has 22 cumulative cases with no new infections in week 19.<\/p>\n

The human screwworm infestation count remains at 46 cases for 2026. Monkeypox, or Mpox, surveillance shows no new infections. The national total stays at six cases. These lower numbers offer some relief, but vigilance continues.<\/p>\n

Health officials call for stronger prevention measures<\/h2>\n

The Ministry of Health has issued a renewed call for preventive action. Simple steps can reduce transmission dramatically. Frequent hand washing remains a cornerstone of prevention. Drinking only treated or boiled water is critical in rural areas. Cleaning homes and removing standing water eliminates mosquito breeding sites. Covering coughs and sneezes protects those around you.<\/p>\n

Vaccination drives are accelerating. The Minsa Panama<\/a> campaign targets schools, workplaces, and community centers. Health workers are going door-to-door in high-risk neighborhoods. The goal is to reach herd immunity before the peak rainy season arrives.<\/p>\n

Respiratory infections typically spike during the wet months. Crowded indoor spaces and reduced ventilation fuel the spread. Officials warn that hospitals could face capacity issues if cases keep rising. The public must act now to protect themselves and their families.<\/p>\n

Data collection and reporting continue weekly. The Ministry updates its epidemiological dashboard every Monday. Citizens can access real-time numbers through official channels. Transparency remains a priority for the health authorities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Panama is facing a surge in respiratory illnesses. The Ministry of Health reported 43 influenza deaths so far this year. New data from the epidemiological report for week 19, covering May 10 to 16, shows the virus remains a serious threat. Health officials confirmed one new fatality during that week. They also updated a death<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10842,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[4624,253,4625,4623],"class_list":["post-13751","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health","tag-influenza-deaths","tag-panama-health","tag-panama-influenza-deaths","tag-respiratory-disease"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13751","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13751"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13751\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13753,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13751\/revisions\/13753"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10842"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13751"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13751"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13751"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}