Dozens of residents in New Jersey and Illinois have been infected with dengue fever as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a warning of record-breaking cases in the Americas this summer.
According to data from multiple sources, at least 41 New Jersey residents and 27 Illinoisans have contracted the mosquito-borne virus. All of those infected had recently traveled, with no reported cases of local transmission.
The CDC warned that more than 9.7 million dengue cases were reported in countries in the Americas as of June 24 this year, more than double the number reported in all of 2023. The virus is typically transmitted through bites from infected Aedes mosquitoes and can cause symptoms such as fever, nausea, vomiting, rash, joint and bone pain.
Dengue is a global concern with around 400 million people infected each year and about 40,000 deaths due to severe forms of the virus. The virus has spiked globally following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The New Jersey Department of Health reported that Bergen County in the northeast had seen the most cases with eight travelers infected so far. Illinois saw 17 cases in Cook County residents, while New York reported 143 cases and New Jersey reported 41.
There are currently no medications for treating dengue and prevention is primarily focused on avoiding mosquito bites whenever possible and controlling their population growth by emptying outdoor containers of standing water where the insects' eggs thrive.
The CDC advises travelers to take precautions against mosquito bites when traveling to areas with known dengue transmission. More information on the virus, including where cases have been detected in the U.S., can be found on their website.
