Dengue fever has made its way into the United States, as travelers have brought the mosquito-borne disease home with them, WHYY reported.
What's happening?
According to public health officials, New Jersey has had 56 cases of dengue fever this summer, Pennsylvania has had 31, and Delaware has had six.
Officials are warning travelers who have recently returned from Argentina, Barbados, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, the Netherlands Antilles, and the Philippines to be on the lookout for symptoms, which can include high fever, headaches, pain behind the eyes, and joint and muscle pain. The disease is sometimes referred to as "breakbone fever" because of the intense pain it causes.
"If you travel to a country where there's a high incidence of dengue, you come home and you have any symptom whatsoever, it is best to get to the doctor right away," said Nancy Sullivan, supervisor of the disease investigation and surveillance program at the Chester County Health Department. "You may think it's a common cold and it isn't."
Why are vector-borne diseases important?
Diseases spread by mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks are known as vector-borne diseases. These types of illnesses have been on the rise lately thanks to the conditions caused by the overheating of the planet.
The climate conditions created by heat-trapping air pollution from dirty energy sources have resulted in hotter, longer summers and increased rainfall in many warmer climates. While these conditions are bad news for most life on Earth, they are very good news for mosquitoes, which thrive in the heat and wet.
As a result, mosquito populations are spreading — and with them, the diseases they carry, which include dengue, West Nile virus, malaria, and more.
What's being done about vector-borne diseases?
Public health officials have urged people to apply bug spray when they are going outdoors and to wear long sleeves and pants that cover their skin if they are especially at risk.
Some countries have also adopted extreme measures when it comes to fighting mosquitoes and the diseases they carry, including releasing swarms of genetically modified male mosquitoes — which do not bite — to help produce offspring that won't survive to maturity.
The World Health Organization also recently approved a vaccine for dengue fever, which could make a huge difference in countries where the disease is endemic.
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