RIO DE JANEIRO, March 20 (Xinhua) -- The Brazilian state of Riode Janeiro is suffering an epidemic of dengue fever, State Secretary of Health Sergio Cortes said Thursday.

    The number of cases of the disease is "extremely high" in the state and the situation needs to be approached as an epidemic, Cortes said in an interview with a local TV station.

    Local media reported Wednesday that the capital city of Rio de Janeiro registered 1,100 new cases of dengue fever between March 17 and March 18.

    Of the 47 people who were confirmed to have died of the disease so far this year, 24 were children aged from two to 13.

    "Over 60 percent of the cases inflict children, who were mainly involved in serious cases," said Cortes, who earlier inaugurated a ceremony offering 10 vacancies in a hospital west of the city for the treatment of patients infected with the virus of dengue fever.

    He added that another 80 vacancies will be available next week in a hospital north of the city.