Foreign Office warns tourists of dengue risk on islands in Cape Verde

Cases of dengue, an infection spread by mosquitoes, have been increasing in this holiday destination

Cape Verde has become increasingly popular with UK tourists over recent years (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The UK Foreign Office has updated health advice for those travelling to Cape Verde after a dengue fever outbreak on the volcanic islands.

The group of islands, off the coast of West Africa, is home to white sands, beautiful vistas and tropical weather and is becoming increasingly popular with UK holidaymakers.

But the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) issued an update on Wednesday (11 September) after an increase in the number of reported of dengue cases.

The outbreak of the viral infection, which is spread by mosquitos that mainly feed during daytime hours, have come on the islands of Santiago, Fogo and Brava.

The Cape Verde government has raised the civil protection warning level for dengue in these areas.

The mosquitos that spread dengue are more common in towns, cities and surrounding areas, and cause a flu-like illness, which can occasionally develop into a more serious life-threatening illness.

However, the UK Department of Health’s TravelHealthPro resource says severe dengue is rare in travellers.

They recommend travellers to take measures to avoid mosquito bites during daytime hours.

A dengue vaccine was very recently licensed in the UK for the prevention of the disease that can be administered to people from four years of age, however the Joint Committee on Vaccine and Immunisation and the World Health Organisation are in the process of reviewing the product, so recommendations on the use of this vaccine have yet to be published.

Dengue is very common in certain parts of the world, often found in tropical areas such as parts of Africa and Asia, Central and South America, the Caribbean, Pacific islands and some southern areas of North America, according to the NHS. It is not found in the UK.

The health authority said that the fever is not usually serious and often gets better on its own, but while some people may have a more severe type of dengue, this is rare. You cannot catch the infection from another person; instead, you are at risk if you get bitten by an infected mosquito.

While dengue does not always cause symptoms, if someone does start to develop symptoms, they usually start four to ten days after being bitten.

Some dengue symptoms are similar to flu, including a high temperature, headaches, pain behind eyes, muscle and joint pain, feeling or being sick, swollen glands or a blotchy rash, the NHS says. Severe dengue, while rare, can develop more serious symptoms such as severe tummy pain, being sick repeatedly, fast breathing, bleeding gums or nose, fatigue, restlessness or blood in your vomit or faeces.

Most people with dengue will feel better in a few days, and the NHS advises people to rest, drink plenty of fluids and take paracetamol, but not to take anti-inflammatory painkillers like ibuprofen or aspirin, as these can cause bleeding problems if you have dengue.

To prevent risk, it is recommended to wear long-sleeved clothing and trousers, use insect repellant on the skin, close windows and doors whenever possible and sleep under a mosquito net treated with insecticide.

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