- Dengue cases have surged in India, with significant increases in Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
- According to the National Centre for Vector Borne Diseases Control, as of April, India recorded 19,447 cases, with Kerala and Tamil Nadu leading in numbers.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) reported over 7.6 million dengue cases globally in 2024.
- As of May, 90 countries have known active dengue transmission, not all captured in formal reporting.
- The monsoon season, urbanization, and population movements have increased the burden in regions like Asia, the Americas, and the Western Pacific, with Asia accounting for around 70% of the global disease burden.
- Dengue is spreading to new areas in Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean, and South America.
Dengue Transmission and Treatment:
- Dengue virus is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.
- While most cases are asymptomatic or mild, severe dengue can cause shock, severe bleeding, or organ impairment.
- According to the National Guidelines for Clinical Management of Dengue Fever, dengue presents as an acute febrile illness lasting two to seven days, characterized by symptoms such as headache, retro-orbital pain, myalgia, arthralgia, rash, and hemorrhagic manifestations.
- Without warning signs or complications, dengue is managed through symptomatic and supportive treatment.
- Researchers and public health experts monitor emerging patterns in dengue.
- Factors contributing to increasing dengue epidemics include the
- Changing distribution of the Aedes aegypti vector,
- Urbanization,
- Human activities that create conducive environments for vector-host interaction,
- Climate change-induced weather pattern shifts.
Dig Deeper: Compare Dengue and Zika.
