Dozens of New Jersey residents have been sickened with dengue fever as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned of a record-breaking number of cases in the Americas this summer.
At least 41 Garden Staters have come down with the potentially deadly mosquito-borne virus, according to the health authority.
All of those infected had recently traveled, but the CDC did not specify where. There has been no known person-to-person transmission locally in the state.
Cases of local transmission have been “limited” to “small outbreaks” in geographic regions like Texas, Florida and Hawaii, the CDC said.
Six US territories are considered by the agency to experience “frequent or continuous” dengue transmission, including Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the US Virgin Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Marshall Islands and the Republic of Palau.
Dengue is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes, the same species known for spreading Zika, yellow fever and several other viruses.
Around 400 million people are infected with dengue each year globally, of which some 40,000 die of severe forms of the virus, according to the CDC.
Dengue cases have spiked globally following the COVID-19 pandemic, including record numbers of cases recorded in the Americas region.
Last year, 4.6 million cases and 4,000 deaths were reported in the region. As of June 24 of this year that figure had already more than doubled with 9.7 million cases.
Dengue typically causes symptoms like fever, nausea, vomiting, rash, and joint or bone pain and is usually not fatal in otherwise healthy patients. However, the health agency warns, about 1 in 20 people infected experience a more dangerous form of the infection.
Infants less than 1 year old, senior citizens or people with certain medical conditions are considered higher-risk of contracting severe disease.
The New Jersey residents infected hail from 15 counties across the state, with Bergen County in the northeast seeing the most cases, with eight travelers infected so far.
There are no known medications for treating the virus, and the CDC says the best way to prevent infection is to avoid mosquito bites whenever possible and take steps to control their population growth, such as by emptying outdoor containers of standing water where the insect’s eggs thrive.
Rachel Carter is a health and wellness expert dedicated to helping readers lead healthier lives. With a background in nutrition, she offers evidence-based advice on fitness, nutrition, and mental well-being.
