Tegucigalpa (Honduras), Jun 20 (IANS): Around 11,000 people have been infected with dengue and at least 10 have died in Honduras, which has led authorities to announce a red alert across the country.

Over 10,780 cases of dengue fever have been reported in the country, and 461 of them are cases of haemorrhagic dengue fever, with people under 19 years of age being the main victims, Tomas Guevara, head of Epidemiologic Surveillance in the public health ministry, said Saturday.

The number of beds in hospitals will be increased, more medical personnel will be assigned to health centres and capacity in laboratories for blood tests will be increased, authorities said.

Mario Roberto Ramos, head of internal medicine at the Seguro Social Hospital in Tegucigalpa, said the wards were already full and there was not enough space to take in more patients.

"Before, these cases were coming sporadically, but now, we are receiving from 10 to 15 patients daily," Ramos was quoted as saying by Prensa Latina.

Public health personnel have been asked to set up tents with stretchers, which will be put up around the hospitals to take care of patients in a more stable condition.