Brazil: Military helping to combat dengue

RIO DE JANEIRO, March 22 (UPI) -- The Brazilian military says it has mobilized to help combat the ongoing dengue fever epidemic.

Military officials say part of the efforts by the country's armed forces will include setting up field hospitals, O Globo TV reported Saturday.

Nearly 50 people have died in this year's outbreak, with at least 36,000 people contracting the potentially deadly disease.

This week, Brazilian health officials said the government would create a crisis center to deal with an epidemic of dengue fever.

Dengue is a mosquito-borne illness that causes severe flu-like symptoms in most cases, though it can be fatal.