Mexico unveils world's first approved dengue vaccine

Mexico City, Dec 10: Mexico unveiled the world`s first approved dengue vaccine, saying the treatment is 60.5 percent effective against dengue and 93.2 percent effective against severe dengue.

The approval followed two years of clinical trials worldwide on more than 40,000 patients, including Mexicans, the health ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

"This vaccine can prevent more than 8,000 hospitalisations, 104 deaths annually, and save 1.1 billion pesos ($64 million) each year in reduced costs tied to medical attention," the statement said.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), "nearly 40 percent of the world`s population (3.9 billion people) is at risk of contracting dengue."

Around 400 million people in more than 128 countries are infected with the mosquito-borne virus each year.

In Mexico, a total of 32,100 cases were registered last year, including 8,668 cases of severe dengue, which cost the country over 3.2 billion pesos ($187 million).

IANS