CDC Issues Dengue Warning For U.S. As 16 GA Travelers Sickened

GEORGIA — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently issued a new warning for the Americas as dengue cases reached an all-time high. So far, 16 Georgia travelers have been sickened by the virus.

According to the CDC, the dengue virus is spread to people through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito, which also spreads Zika, chikungunya and other viruses.

Each year, up to 400 million people are infected by one of four dengue viruses, according to the CDC. About 100 million people get sick from infection, and 40,000 die from severe dengue.

In its most recent warning, the CDC said countries in the Americas reported more than 9.7 million dengue cases, twice as many as the 4.6 million cases reported in 2023.

As of July 2, all dengue cases in Georgia were reported in residents who were traveling, according to the CDC. No cases had been locally transmitted.

The travelers were from Clarke, Clayton, DeKalb, Cherokee, Forsyth, Cobb, Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale counties, according to CDC data. They each had 1 to 4 travelers sickened with the virus.

The most common symptoms of dengue include fever accompanied by nausea, vomiting, rash, and aches and pains. There is no specific medicine to treat dengue, and most people recover after about a week.

The CDC said about one in 20 people will develop severe dengue, which can lead to shock, internal bleeding, and even death, although deaths are rare.

Anyone experiencing symptoms should immediately go to a local clinic or emergency room, health officials said.