<div><p>Brazilian health authorities say the number of dengue cases reported in the northeastern state of Bahia has soared by more than 300 percent so far this year.</p><p>State health department spokeswoman Lidia Silva says 45,683 dengue cases were registered through March 7 — 313 percent more than in the same period last year.</p><p>She said Tuesday that during this period the disease killed 38 people, compared to 15 in all of 2008.</p><p>Officials link the rise to a drop in efforts to eliminate breeding grounds of disease-carrying mosquitoes.</p><p>Dengue causes high fever, severe headaches and joint pain. Most cases are not fatal, but the more virulent, deadly strain has been reported more frequently.</p><img src="http://admatch-syndication.mochila.com/images/ad.gif?aid=47669133&bid=informcom" /></div><div id="copyright"><div>

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