Dengue fever often causes an asymptomatic infection, but in some cases can trigger life-threatening internal bleeding and shock organ failure
An urgent warning has been issued to travelers heading to a number of countries affected by outbreaks of a deadly disease that can cause brain bleeds.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a level 1 global travel advisory after detecting unusual upticks in cases of dengue fever across the world. The mosquito-borne disease has been detected in 16 countries, where travelers are now at higher risk of contracting the illness.
The CDC has “identified a higher-than-expected number of dengue cases among US travelers returning from” Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Colombia, Cook Islands, Cuba, Guyana, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, New Caledonia, Pakistan, Samoa, Sudan, Timor-Leste and Vietnam.
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Travelers have been urged to take precautions to protect themselves against the disease. Some of these include wearing insect repellent, wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants when outdoors, and sleeping in air-conditioned rooms with window screens.
Dengue fever often causes an asymptomatic infection, health officials say, but in some patients it can trigger life-threatening internal bleeding, respiratory distress, and heart failure. It can also lead to shock and organ failure, especially of the liver, brain, and heart.
In more severe cases, patients may also develop dengue shock syndrome, a condition where severe bleeding leads to a rapid drop in blood pressure and causes the body to go into shock.
Those most at risk from the virus include children under five, adults over 65 and pregnant women. According to health officials, between 40 and 80 percent of people infected with dengue fever do not develop any symptoms.
Some of the most common symptoms include a fever above 100F, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, bone, joint or muscle pain, and bleeding in the gums. Some patients experience redness on the skin of the face.
The disease was virtually eradicated from the U.S. in the 1970s, but sporadic outbreaks have been recorded since, the Daily Mail reported. These are particularly common in warmer states like Florida and California.
Most cases recorded in the U.S. have been linked to international travel. Though the CDC has issued the lowest level of warning to travelers, people are still advised to be aware of the symptoms, in order to prevent the spread.
Last year, a major dengue fever outbreak was reported in the Americas, and today, cases are still above normal. The disease is currently present in more than 100 countries around the world.
So far in 2026, no locally acquired cases of dengue fever have been detected in the mainland US. All 55 cases that have been detected were linked to travel outside the U.S.
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