Peru's health minister steps down as dengue death toll jumps

FILE PHOTO: A health worker sprays fumigation vapour to stem the spread of dengue virus at the Nueva Esperanza cemetery in Lima, Peru, June 1, 2022. REUTERS/Sebastian Castaneda/File Photo

LIMA (Reuters) - Peru's embattled health minister announced her resignation late on Thursday during a speech in Congress, in the midst of a dengue outbreak already responsible for record-breaking deaths and infections.

Lawmakers had summoned Health Minister Rosa Gutierrez to face a motion to remove her from her post before she said she would resign.