MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) - Nicaragua’s government has issued an epidemiological alert over the spread of dengue fever, which has killed at least eight people this year and is suspected of sickening some 55,000.

Vice president and first lady Rosario Murillo said Wednesday that the government is committed to confronting the spread of the Aedes aegypti mosquito that transmits the virus. Government workers stepped up fumigation efforts and spread out to destroy its breeding grounds.

The mosquito breeds in clean water and is particularly prevalent in urban areas where open cisterns or containers collecting rain water can pose a problem.

Nicaragua’s health ministry made the alert declaration Tuesday and says there are 2,232 confirmed cases.

According to the Pan American Health Organization, Nicaragua has the most suspected dengue cases in Central America.

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