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DCL
Our climate is changing. It's getting warmer. That means tropical diseases that are often carried by mosquitoes will be heading north. Dengue fever is one such tropical disease. It affects up to 100 million people a year and the World Health Organization says that 2.5 billion people are currently at risk of contracting this virus.
A popular slang term for dengue fever is breakbone fever, because one of the major symptoms of the virus is severe joint pain. The most noticeable symptom is a bright-red rash that can cover the entire body. Other symptoms include:
From National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
High fever, up to 105°F Severe headache Retro-orbital (behind the eye) pain Severe muscle pain Nausea and vomiting
Left untreated, dengue fever can be fatal. People who are at risk for dengue fever need also be cautious of dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome. Both of these are nastier and more fatal than run-of-the-mill dengue fever. This is horrible, horrible stuff.
Luckily, scientists at the University of Miami have created a climate-based model that can warn us of dengue fever outbreaks with 83% accuracy. We'll have 40 days to prepare for the northward invasion of disease-carrying mosquitoes. You have still have time to prepare.
