The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a fresh warning for the Americas, citing an all-time spike in dengue incidence.
Seven visitors from New Hampshire have contracted the virus thus far, according to the CDC. The virus is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito, which is also the vector for the spread of other viruses like chikungunya and zika.
The Central and Southern America nations reported over 9.7 million cases of dengue this year, the CDC stated in its most current warning. That is twice as many instances than were recorded in 2023 (4.6 million cases).
According to the CDC, each case of dengue in New Hampshire has been linked to a resident who was traveling, whereas there have been no localized instances reported.
Up to 400 million people worldwide get a dengue virus every year; approximately 100 million people get sick from it, and 40,000 die. Symptoms for the disease vary. Mild symptoms of an infection, like a fever, rashes, or eye pain, can be easily confused with other illnesses, according to the CDC. Symptoms typically last from two to seven days, but the CDC says “severe dengue is a medical emergency” that mandates a trip to a clinic or emergency room. A severe case can develop as quickly as in 24 hours.
Symptoms of a severe case of dengue include belly pain and tenderness; excessive vomiting, bleeding from the gums or nose, blood in vomit or stool, and feeling fatigued or irritable.
