The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning people about the dangers of dengue fever, including an increase risk of cases across the U.S. with record breaking numbers globally.
And it’s impacting Massachusetts residents.
“Global incidence of dengue in 2024 has been the highest on record for this calendar year; many countries are reporting higher-than-usual dengue case numbers,” the CDC warned. “In 2024, countries in the Americas have reported a record-breaking number of dengue cases, exceeding the highest number ever recorded in a single year.”
In 2024, countries in the Americas reported more than 9.7 million dengue cases, the CDC said, which is twice as many as in all of 2023.
Dengue is carried by mosquitoes, which can be given to humans when mosquitoes bite them.
Someone with dengue might experience a fever with aches and pains, including pain behind the eyes, nausea and vomiting, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 5% of dengue cases can be severe, resulting in shock, internal bleeding and death. Symptoms include belly pain or tenderness, vomiting (at least three times in 24 hours), bleeding from the nose or gums, vomiting blood, or blood in the stool, and feeling extremely tired or restless, the CDC warns.
This summer, the Mosquito Control District will begin surveilling, capturing and sampling mosquitoes to see what species are in the region, and then test the level of disease, Jeanne Galloway, West Springfield’s director of public health and chair of the commissioners for the Pioneer Valley Mosquito Control District, told The Republican.
Small outbreaks have happened in Florida, Hawaii and Texas, according to the CDC. But it’s also impacting those in Massachusetts.
There are been 50 reported cases in Massachusetts as of June 27, according to the CDC map.
There are been 50 reported cases in Massachusetts, according to the CDC map.CDC
Suffolk County and Middlesex County have the highest number of cases in the state with 21 and 11, respectively, according to CDC data. Here’s a list of reported cases by county in 2024:
- Barnstable: 1-4 cases
- Essex: 1-4 cases
- Hampshire: 1-4 cases
- Middlesex: 11 cases
- Norfolk: 9 cases
- Plymouth: 1-4 cases
- Suffolk: 21 cases
- Worcester: 1-4 cases
Suffolk County and Middlesex County have the highest number of cases in the state with 21 and 11, respectively, according to CDC data.CDC
