A rapidly growing problem
Dengue cases have risen at an alarming rate in recent years. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports an 8-fold increase in global dengue incidence between 2000 and 2019. In 2023, there were more than 5 million cases reported from 80 countries, with at least 23 countries reporting dengue outbreaks. That number has more than doubled in 2024 so far, with more than more than 10.6 million cases reported in North and South America alone. The true number is likely far greater, highlighting the urgency of addressing this public health crisis. Learn the facts about the virus.
Dengue isn’t just found in the tropics.
Dengue outbreaks occur in many countries of the world, including North and South Americas, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and the Pacific Islands. Almost half of the world’s population, about 4 billion people, live in areas where dengue outbreaks could occur. Although dengue is more common in tropical regions, it's not limited to those areas. Recent trends show an expansion of dengue cases into previously unaffected areas, including parts of Europe and the continental United States.
It’s spread by mosquitoes … but not all mosquitoes.
Dengue spreads most often through the bite of an infected mosquito from one of two species, Aedes aegypti or Aedes albopictus. These mosquitoes are the same type that spread Zika and chikungunya viruses. Only Aedes mosquitoes — most commonly Aedes aegypti — are responsible for spreading dengue.
It's having a big year.
Dengue is a global health threat that’s currently being fueled by three major drivers. First, a warmer, wetter year means there are more mosquitoes in more places, and these mosquitoes are hard to fight. Second, dengue is cyclical. Large outbreaks tend to occur every few years in areas with mosquitoes and living conditions that make protecting against bites harder. And third, people are traveling more, especially to places where dengue is common. These major drivers have contributed to an alarming rise of dengue cases globally.
Sometimes it can make you severely ill.
Although dengue is sometimes known as “break-bone fever” because of the severe body aches it can cause, most people who get infected with the dengue virus have no symptoms or only mild illness. Most people who do have dengue symptoms recover within a week. However, dengue can also be severe and life-threatening, especially in children, older people, and people with underlying health conditions.
There’s no cure, but it is treatable.
Currently, there is no specific cure or medication for dengue. Treatment mainly focuses on relieving symptoms. If you have dengue, you should rest as much as possible, take acetaminophen to control fever and relieve pain, and drink plenty of fluids.
Here’s how to prevent it.
The best way to prevent dengue is to avoid mosquito bites. Use EPA-registered insect repellents, wear loose-fitting long shirts and pants, drain standing water where mosquitoes can lay eggs, and make sure your home is protected against mosquitoes.
If you or a family member has dengue, it’s important to continue to avoid mosquito bites, especially during the first week of infection so that you do not spread the virus to uninfected mosquitoes and that can then infect others.
There is a dengue vaccine recommended for use in children ages 9–16 years old, who have had a previous laboratory-confirmed dengue infection, and who live in areas where dengue occurs naturally -- which includes some U.S. territories and freely associated Pacific Island states.
Having it once might not protect you.
Because there are four different but closely related dengue viruses that all cause disease, people can get infected with dengue multiple times in their life.
What CDC is doing
CDC is providing assistance to public health partner agencies that have reported dengue cases. It helps those agencies investigate outbreaks, plan mosquito control programs, train healthcare providers to quickly recognize dengue and manage cases in people who have it. It tests for dengue viruses and uses genetic information to track their spread. And it supports research and training to help prevent and respond to dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases.