CDC Issues Travel Alert About Potentially Fatal 'Breakbone Fever'
AOL.com • • health
Key Points:
- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a travel alert due to an increase in dengue fever cases, also known as "breakbone fever," among travelers returning from countries such as Vietnam, Cuba, and Colombia.
- Dengue is a mosquito-borne illness that causes symptoms like fever, muscle and joint pain, nausea, rash, and in severe cases, internal bleeding, which can be life-threatening.
- The CDC reports 496 dengue cases in the U.S. so far this year, mostly contracted abroad, with local transmission occurring in American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
- About 25% of people bitten by an infected mosquito develop symptoms, and those with previous dengue infections are at higher risk for severe, potentially fatal cases requiring immediate medical attention.
- The CDC advises anyone experiencing severe dengue symptoms, such as intense abdominal pain or frequent vomiting, to seek emergency medical care promptly.
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