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Dengue Menace [1]

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Date: 2024-10-12  

2024 is the worst year for dengue cases on record. As of July 23, over 10 million cases of dengue have been reported from 176 countries across all WHO regions (although the Americas account for most cases), with more than 24 000 severe cases and 6508 deaths. — The Lancet.

I am writing this with difficulty because my eyes hurt and my brain isn’t working properly. I hurt all over. 3 days ago I felt ‘off’ and nauseous. A headache began. Later, I rushed to the bathroom and began projectile vomiting. By the following day I had back, leg, and arm pain. I felt as if I had been struck by a bus while crossing the street.

From the symptoms I suspected dengue and by then I was pretty bad so my wife called the ambulance and they took me to the local hospital where I was triaged and seen immediately. They injected me with difenidol to control the vomiting. At midnight the lab was closed of course, so they told me to get a blood test the following morning for platelet count. I could have got this free but it was faster to go the CHOPO lab near us, ($9 for the blood draw and analysis). When the results came back my platelet count was 125. The normal range is 150-500 and comparing a previous blood test a few weeks back, I had a 180 level, so dengue was confirmed.

In another day I’ll go back for another test to see how I am getting on.

Dengue reminds me a lot of another mosquito borne disease I have had: malaria falciparum. The vomiting. The pains. The fever.

I live very near Monterrey, a city of 5 million a few hours drive from Texas. I discovered that there are 4,000 cases of haemorrhagic dengue in the hospitals.

If you look at the CDC data there are supposed 79 cases in the whole of Texas. Since mosquitoes don’t respect borders I rather doubt that. After all, medical treatment here in Mexico is free, unlike in the US. So I suspect there are many cases, just that people don’t consult for it and ‘tough it out’ rather than incur medical bills.

If you get the symptoms you should test. This disease can be fatal. In its worst stages you will find yourself bleeding from the eyes, the nose, the gums, internally, even from the ears. If you do get dengue do not take pain killers other than paracetamol. They all thin the blood and can make things worse.

SUMMARY: Due to all the rain, dengue is rampant. If you are outside in the evening protect yourself with appropriate clothing and repellent.

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