A child possibly infected with dengue virus, receives medical attention at the Hospital Escuela in Tegucigalpa, capital of Honduras, on July 5, 2013. Photo: Xinhua

 Honduras will close 2019 with more than 115,000 cases of dengue and 177 deaths from the disease, local media reported on Sunday.

"It is the biggest epidemic that we have had," said Deputy Minister of Health Roberto Cosenza.

The official added that more than 20,000 people were diagnosed with severe dengue fever.

The viral disease has rapidly spread in recent years and is transmitted mainly by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which also transmits chikungunya, yellow fever and Zika infections.