Tegucigalpa, Haemorrhagic dengue fever has claimed 24 lives so far this year in central America's Honduras, the health minister said.

 

 Minister Salvador Pineda confirmed the new toll Wednesday following the death of three people in Olancho, Copan and Cortes regions, Xinhua reported Thursday.

 

 Up to the first week of September, over 25,300 cases of dengue have been reported, among which 3,300 are suspected to be of the more dangerous haemorrhagic variety.

 

 In 2009, there were only 12 deaths from haemorrhagic dengue, including eight adults and four minors, and 66,700 suspected cases of classic dengue, of which 3,200 were confirmed.

 

 In 2011 and 2012, no haemorrhagic cases were reported in the country, though in 2010, 83 people died from the disease.

 

IANS