Dengue fever, a mosquito-borne viral disease, is seeing an unprecedented global surge, with a record-breaking number of cases reported in 2024. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the U.S. has issued health advisories warning of an increased risk in the United States due to the global spike, with over 10 million cases reported in the first half of 2024 alone.
Experts attribute the spread of dengue fever to climate change, which is fueling the increase in mosquito populations, especially Aedes aegypti, the primary dengue carrier. Warmer temperatures are accelerating mosquito life cycles, expanding their ranges, and creating favorable conditions for transmission in tropical, sub-tropical, and temperate regions, including the southern United States.
Dengue fever symptoms range from mild (fever, headache, body aches, nausea, rash) to severe (internal bleeding, potentially fatal). Some infected individuals don't develop symptoms, while others experience fever, body aches, abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, bleeding, lethargy, liver enlargement, shock, and potentially fatal complications like organ failure and capillary leak syndrome, especially upon repeat infections.
Hospitals worldwide are overwhelmed with dengue cases, reminiscent of the COVID-19 pandemic. Puerto Rico has declared a public health emergency due to a spike in cases, with over 1,498 cases reported.
To increase protection against Dengue fever experts recommend using insect repellent, wearing protective clothing, staying in air-conditioned spaces, using window screens, dumping standing water, and monitoring potted plants.
The World Health Organization warns that up to 2 billion more people could be at risk of dengue in the next 50 years without significant action, emphasizing the need for mosquito control measures, public education, and international cooperation to manage the disease globally. Dengue remains one of the most neglected tropical diseases worldwide, with the potential to become a major global health threat.
Sources: Washington Post, Washington Times, CBS News, Forbes, InsideHook, ExBulletin, TittlePress.
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.
