Panama is facing a sharp increase in dengue fever. Health authorities reported that as of epidemiological week 48 (November 23-29) in 2025, the country has recorded 25 deaths and 15,098 cases of the disease. This is almost triple the number of fatalities recorded the previous year. The Ministry of Health (MINSA) has warned that the co-circulation of all four dengue serotypes in Panama, with DEN-3 and DENV-4 predominating, increases the risk of severe cases and deaths. Fatalities have been recorded in almost every part of the country, led by Chiriquí with five deaths, followed by Bocas del Toro with four, and the metropolitan area with three. According to official data, the national incidence rate in week 48 was 330 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, with people between 10 and 49 years old being the most affected by the virus. The Ministry of Health also reiterated that dengue is a serious and potentially fatal disease transmitted by the bite of the Aedes aegypti mosquito. MINSA detailed that, of the total infections, 1,474 people required hospitalization and 103 cases were classified as serious, raising alerts in the health system. The most affected regions continue to be the metropolitan area and San Miguelito, which together account for 7,242 cases.
