CNN —Puerto Rico has declared a public health emergency due to a surging number of dengue cases. Puerto Rico Secretary of Heath Carlos Mellado said the health department has registered 549 cases of dengue so far this year, far exceeding historical numbers. Health officials in Puerto Rico are urging people to use insect repellent and eliminate possible mosquito breeding sites by preventing water from accumulating. Get CNN Health's weekly newsletter Sign up here to get The Results Are In with Dr. Sanjay Gupta every Tuesday from the CNN Health team. “There are indeed efforts from the health department and other organizations like the Puerto Rico vector control unit to control dengue in the area.”Climate change will also encourage the spread of dengue around the world, Paz-Bailey said.

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Persons: Heath Carlos Mellado, ” Mellado, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, Gabriela Paz, Bailey, ” Paz, ”, Jamie Gumbrecht Organizations: CNN — Puerto, World Health Organization —, Virgin Islands, US Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, Health, Get CNN, CNN Health, Vector, CNN, Paz Locations: CNN — Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico, Virgin, American Samoa, United States, Florida