US CDC raises travel alert for 16 countries for dengue fever
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a global travel alert for 16 countries due to reported spikes in cases of dengue or breakbone fever.
The agency made the level one alert on Mar. 23, Monday, as it identified a "higher-than-expected" number of dengue cases among US travelers.
Among countries flagged are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Colombia, Cook Islands, Cuba, Guyana, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, New Caledonia, Pakistan, Samoa, Sudan, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam. The information is based on publicly available data, and not all countries with dengue transmission are listed.
CDC encouraged tourists to practice usual safety precautions as traveling to these countries causes a higher risk of contracting the disease.
They also advised travelers to prevent mosquito bites by using an EPA-registered insect repellent, wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors, and sleeping in an air-conditioned room or a room with window screens.
Dengue is caused by a virus spread through the bites of an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito. The disease can take up to two weeks to develop, with illness generally lasting less than a week. Symptoms include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, rash, muscle and joint pain, and minor bleeding.
In severe cases, health effects can include hemorrhage (uncontrolled bleeding), shock (seriously low blood pressure), organ failure, and death.
The Philippine Department of Health logged 7,471 dengue cases in January—a significant drop from the 25,652 cases in the same month in 2025.
