Approximately three weeks after the first autochthonous dengue fever case was reported in Japan since World War II, the case count has since spread nationwide, with the number of patients reaching 133 as of Thursday, according to the Japan Times.
Image/CIA
Tokyo metropolitan officials reported the first case contracted from a mosquito at Ueno Park in Tokyo’s Taito Ward, Jiji Press reports.
The report specifies a woman in her 20s who lives in Saitama Prefecture, was bitten by a mosquito when she was sitting on a bench near a fountain in Ueno Park on Sept. 7. She was confirmed positive for the mosquito borne viral infection last weekend.
She had not recently visited Yoyogi Park or Shinjuku Central Park, where many dengue cases have been reported. She had no recent international travel.
Japan sees scores of imported dengue cases annually from travelers to endemic areas. In 2013, they reported 249 cases.
Related: Japan: Imported Zika virus reported in traveler to Thailand
Dengue fever is an infectious disease carried by mosquitoes and caused by any of four 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.
People get the dengue virus from the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito. It is not contagious from person to person. For more infectious disease news and information, visit and “like” the Infectious Disease News Facebook page
