After first being reported in the Tanzanian capital in January, government officials now say the dengue fever outbreak in Dar es Salaam has sickened 400 people and is being attributed to the deaths of three.
According to a Turkish Press report, Health Ministry officials say the outbreak in the capital is unprecedented and caught them off-guard; however, they are doing everything they can to get it under control.
Related: Tanzanian singer, Ray C, diagnosed with dengue fever
Dengue fever is an infectious disease carried by mosquitoes and caused by any of five (researchers recently identified a fifth dengue subtype, the first in 50 years) related dengue viruses. This disease used to be called “break-bone fever” because it sometimes causes severe joint and muscle pain that feels like bones are breaking.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates there may be 50–100 million dengue infectionsworldwide every year. However, new research from the University of Oxford and the Wellcome Trust, using cartographic approaches, estimate there to be 390 million dengue infections per year worldwide.
There are three types of dengue fever in order of less severe to most: the typical uncomplicated dengue fever, dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHS) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS). For more infectious disease news and information, visit and “like” the Infectious Disease News Facebook page.
There is not a vaccine for dengue fever. There is no treatment for dengue, just treat the symptoms.
