Health authorities in France are sounding the alarm as cases of dengue continue to rise ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games.
Officials say that this year alone there have been about “1,649 imported cases,” compared to about 131 cases reported around the same time last year, according to Euronews.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control says that the bulk of these cases stem from Guadeloupe and Martinique, where an “epidemic” is currently underway, as French Guiana has reported 7,000 confirmed dengue cases since the beginning of 2024.
Officials are concerned because the Paris 2024 Olympic Games are only a few months away and scheduled to start on July 26, 2024.
However, the French are not the only ones affected. This year, over 5 million cases have been reported worldwide that have resulted in 2,000 deaths, the ECDPC reports.
The World Health Organization says that most of these cases are coming from the Americas, with Brazil, Argentina and Puerto Rico leading in cases.
In March, Puerto Rico declared a public health emergency as the island reported 549 cases, nearly half of the total for the entire year of 2023 (1,242 cases). As of its latest data from April, the number had risen to 795.
Dengue is a disease spread by mosquito bites, and symptoms include high fever, severe headache, muscle and joint pains, nausea, vomiting, swollen glands, rash, difficulty breathing, fatigue, and eye pain. If you have any of these symptoms, officials say to contact your primary care physician.
