Dengue Fever Is Soaring Worldwide. Here ’s What to Know—and How to Stay Protected

Governments and public health experts around the world are sounding the alarm about the record-high spread of one of the most notorious—and incurable—diseases, which about half the world is at risk of catching: dengue. The mosquito-borne virus has a long history in warm climates but is now also emerging in regions where it had been generally unheard of—such as in Europe and parts of the U.S. By early December, there had already been more than five million dengue infections worldwide this year—a dramatic increase from some 500,000 cases in 2000—recorded across at least 80 countries and territories. More than 5,500 people have died so far in 2023, according to Save the Children. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] In October, California announced its first case of locally-transmitted dengue virus. In March, dengue was found in Sudan’s capital Khartoum for the first time in the city’s record, putting its already underfunded healthcare system under serious strain.  Meanwhile, in countries where dengue was already endemic, this year has seen the virus spread at an unprecedented scale. Amid the worst outbreak in Bangladesh’s history, dengue cases were reported in all 64 of the country’s districts, and by mid-November the disease had infected 291,832 people and killed 1,476. Peru’s health minister, who in June declared a state of emergency in most parts of the country to deal with a raging dengue out...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Explainer News Desk Source Type: news