People are being urged to watch for symptoms of a deadly condition. It comes after the UK Health Security Agency last month recorded the highest number of imported cases of dengue fever “since records began”.
These cases are termed ‘imported’ as the virus is not contagious between humans and can only be contracted from infected mosquitoes that aren’t found in the UK. According to NHS, the fever is prevalent in parts of Africa and Asia, Central and South America, the Caribbean, the Pacific Islands, some southern regions of North America, and a few southern European countries like Croatia, Portugal, Spain and Italy.
Symptoms typically manifest around four to 10 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. The NHS cautions that initial symptoms can closely resemble the flu, including high temperature, muscle and joint pain, swollen glands and severe headache. However, unique symptoms include nausea or vomiting, pain behind the eyes and a blotchy rash made up of flat or slightly raised spots.
This rash isn’t confined to the bite area and can spread across large areas of your body. Insect bite prevention expert and incognito founder Howard Carter is sounding the alarm over the worrying rise in people returning to the UK with this mosquito-borne illness.
He warned: “Because of poor UK weather large amounts of people – some for the first time – are heading abroad to mosquito-borne disease countries, for some respite. Most are unprepared for the rise in mosquito populations in the tropics and even Europe from springtime onwards.
“There is no cure for dengue and with two thirds of the world’s population now at risk, everyone going abroad needs to treat this illness seriously…Do not leave it until the last minute to buy at the airport as shops there regularly sell out.”
Instead, the expert recommended the following measures:
C – Clothes with extensive skin coverage whenever possible.
L – Loose, light colours of clothing are often deterrent to mosquitoes.
O – Odours such as perfume and toiletries can make you a mosquito magnet. However, other smells can repel mosquitoes, which could be beneficial for those who usually get bitten.
A – Apply effective insect repellent, specifically one that contains PMD, and reapply regularly.
K – Keep getting rid of any still water that may be collecting in bottles, cups and glasses and steer clear of stagnant water as mosquitoes often breed in it.