The Foreign Office has issued a stark warning about a rampant infection that has seen a significant surge in the past year among holidaymakers returning to the UK. According to a new report from the Travel Health and International Health Regulations team in the Clinical and Emerging Infections Directorate, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), people are contracting Dengue while on holiday.
The disease is escalating in Europe with cases reported in Spain, Italy, France, Greece and other parts of the eastern Mediterranean. It can leave sufferers in excruciating pain – with an abrupt onset of fever often accompanied by severe headache and pain behind the eyes, muscle pain, joint pains, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and loss of appetite.
Symptoms can range from mild or non-existent to severe. Dengue is endemic in over 100 countries across Africa, the Americas, the Eastern Mediterranean, South-East Asia and the Western Pacific, with sporadic autochthonous cases occurring in France, Italy and Spain within Europe.
| Geographical area (UKHSA) | Number of cases |
|---|---|
| London | 183 |
| South East | 87 |
| South West | 51 |
| East of England | 42 |
| North West | 29 |
| Yorkshire and Humber | 25 |
| East Midlands | 18 |
| West Midlands | 17 |
| North East | 6 |
| England Total | 458 |
| Wales | 12 |
| Northern Ireland | 4 |
| EWNI Total | 473 |
Since the beginning of 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported a substantial rise in dengue cases and deaths globally. By April 2024, over 7.6 million cases, including over 3,000 deaths, were recorded.
The increase is particularly notable in the Americas, where cases have exceeded 7 million, surpassing the previous annual high of 4.6 million cases in 2023.
Dengue fever cases have surged by a staggering 201% in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period last year. A total of 473 cases were reported between January and June this year, with 421 confirmed and 52 probable.
This marks the highest number of cases for the first two quarters since surveillance began in 2009. Of these cases, 51% were female and 49% male.
The majority of cases were reported in England, particularly London, which accounted for 40% of English cases. Travel history was known for most cases, with Barbados, Brazil and Indonesia being the most common destinations.
An invasive mosquito species has been found in 13 EU countries, including France, Spain and Greece. Experts have linked the rise of dengue fever in Europe to these insects.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has said that climate change is creating favourable conditions for the spread of the tiger mosquito. Dengue fever is a viral disease transmitted by certain types of mosquitoes.
Dengue fever is a viral disease transmitted by certain types of mosquitoes. It usually starts with flu-like symptoms such as:
- fever
- headache
- muscle and joint pain
- rash
Symptoms appear in humans 3-14 days after infection. In some cases, the disease can become severe, leading to conditions like dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome.
When the disease is severe, the risk of mortality is higher. There are four types of viruses that cause dengue, and being immune to one type does not protect against the others.
Last year, France recorded eight incidents of multiple infections, Italy had four, and Spain reported two. Most cases in Europe are imported, reflecting the global movement of people and trade.
Imported cases surged to nearly 5,000 last year. However, locally-acquired infections are also on the rise: 130 people were affected in 2023, up from 71 the previous year.
Europe is now grappling with an alarming rise in West Nile virus cases, as more regions are reporting the mosquito-transmitted disease than ever before. A striking example emerged in early March when a case was reported in southern Spain, signalling how climate change is facilitating mosquito habitats even “very early in the year”, says ECDC experts.
For individuals, protective measures include:
- using mosquito repellent
- the use of mosquito nets
- sleeping or in screened or air-conditioned rooms
- wearing clothing that covers most of the body.
Preventative measures also focus on controlling the mosquitoes that spread the virus.
Some ways to reduce mosquito breeding sites include:
- Regularly removing or treating open containers with stagnant water, like flower pots, tree holes, and rock pools.
- Ensuring water containers, barrels, wells, and storage tanks are we
In scenarios of severe outbreaks, overhead insecticide spraying campaigns may be employed to decimate adult mosquito counts and curb disease spread.
“Europe is already seeing how climate change is creating more favourable conditions for invasive mosquitos to spread into previously unaffected areas and infect more people with diseases such as dengue,” ECDC director Andrea Ammon cautions.
