A Ticking Time Bomb Around the World: Dengue

While all eyes are fixed on the pandemic, health officials are now reminding the public not to forget the dengue fever situation. Each year, an estimated 390 million people are infected with dengue outbreaks occurring in parts of Southeast Asia, the Western Pacific, the Eastern Mediterranean, the Americas, the Caribbean, and Africa. More than 40 percent of the world�s population is at risk of dengue infection, making it a continuing global health threat. 

Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne disease that occurs in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Millions of dengue infection cases occur worldwide each year and it is most common in Southeast Asia and the western Pacific islands, but the disease has been increasing rapidly in Latin America and the Caribbean. The fever is caused by viruses that are passed onto humans through the bites of an infective female Aedes mosquito, which mainly acquires the virus while feeding on the blood of an infected person. According WHO, the peak of the dengue season is usually around June to August during the rainy season.

If you contract dengue fever, symptoms usually begin about four to seven days after the initial infection. In many cases, symptoms will be mild and can often be mistaken for symptoms of the flu or another infection. Young children and people who have never experienced infection may have a milder illness than older children and adults. Symptoms generally last for about 10 days and can include:

There is no vaccine or specific medication for dengue fever. If you believe that you�re down with dengue, you should seek medical advice, rest and drink plenty of fluids. Paracetamol can be taken to bring down fever and reduce joint pains. However, aspirin or ibuprofen should not be taken since they can increase the risk of bleeding. During the first week of infection, dengue virus can be found in your blood. If a mosquito bites you, it can become infected and spread the virus to other people through bites.