The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an advisory this Tuesday alerting authorities, health professionals and the general public about the increased risk of contracting dengue in the United States. .
According to the CDC, the alert is due to an unexpectedly high number of dengue cases across the country.
A total of 2,241 cases have been reported in the United States so far this year, including 1,498 cases in Puerto Rico, where a public health emergency was declared in March after cases surpassed historic numbers. The majority of cases reported in states are related to travelaccording to the CDC.
The centers reported 3,036 cases of dengue last year in the United States and its territories.
This year, The incidence of dengue in the world has been the highest recorded, especially in Latin American countries, where they have been reported more than 9.7 million cases. That figure represents double the cases reported in 2023 (4.6 million cases), according to the CDC.
Dengue infections have soared as many countries have seen increasingly warm temperatureswhich create ideal conditions for the mosquitoes that spread dengue to increase and carry larger amounts of the virus.
The most common symptom among those who contract the disease is fever. Other symptoms include severe headaches, nausea, vomiting, rashes, and body pain.
Symptoms can be mild or severe. Most dengue patients recover within a week, but in severe cases the disease can be life-threatening and require hospitalization, as it can cause shockinternal bleeding and even death.
Those who have had dengue in the past are more likely to develop severe symptoms. A person can get dengue fever up to four times in their lifetime, once for each type of virus that can cause the disease, according to the CDC.
The CDC’s latest alert advises health care professionals to remain vigilant in the case of older adults, especially if they have recently been in areas with frequent transmission of the disease. They are advised to promptly report any cases of dengue to public health authorities and to promote mosquito bite prevention measures.
The CDC noted that it is also taking other measures, such as improve and expand laboratory tests to diagnose cases more effectively, as well as educate the public about the disease and how to prevent it.
Some useful prevention methods are staying in air-conditioned places whenever possible, using insect repellent, and wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants to avoid mosquito bites.
