Latvians Fly to the Maldives for Vacation and Return with Fever 0 16

Dengue fever is a viral infectious disease transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. Mosquitoes become infected with the virus when they bite an infected person and then transmit it to other people during subsequent bites. Dengue fever is transmitted from person to person exclusively through mosquito bites.

Two of the infected individuals were on a joint trip at the end of November, while the other five were on separate trips in December.

All patients were treated in a hospital, notes the CDC.

In addition to the cases of dengue fever associated with visits to the Maldives, eight more cases of this infection were registered in Latvia in 2025, linked to trips to other countries — Thailand, Indonesia, Egypt, Italy, Ecuador, and Jordan.

The disease is prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions, but it is increasingly being detected in Southern Europe. Transmission of the infection has been recorded in France, Italy, and Madeira.

The infection usually develops within 3-14 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Initial symptoms often resemble the flu — very high body temperature, which can reach 40 degrees, headache, muscle and joint pain, rash, nausea, vomiting, and swollen lymph nodes. Symptoms of the disease typically last from two to seven days, the CDC indicates.

In about 5% of cases, a life-threatening severe form of the disease can develop — dengue hemorrhagic fever. It is characterized by bleeding, such as from the nose, under the skin, bloody diarrhea, as well as organ failure.

The severe form of the disease is also associated with high mortality.

The problem is that there is no specific treatment for dengue fever. Early diagnosis is crucial to ensure that patients receive appropriate supportive therapy.

After returning from a trip, the CDC recommends monitoring health and seeking medical attention immediately if fever, severe headache, eye pain, muscle and joint pain, rash, or nausea occur within 14 days of returning.