What is Dengue Fever?

Dengue fever is a disease spread through the bite of an infected female Aedes  mosquito. The disease affects more than 400 million people worldwide each year. USVI is considered endemic for the disease, meaning dengue cases or a dengue outbreak can occur at any time. Symptoms are like a bad flu, including high fever, joint and muscle pain, pain around the eye area, and death. A severe rash can follow once the fever subsides. Find out more about dengue on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.

What is Zika?

Zika is a disease spread mostly through the bite of an infected female Aedes mosquito. It can also be spread sexually from an infected person to an uninfected person. Zika’s symptoms are similar to dengue fever but also include redness of the eyes, called conjunctivitis. When a pregnant person gets infected with Zika, the developing baby may also get infected and may be born with severe birth defects. Find out more about Zika by visiting the VIDOH Epidemiology web page or by visiting the CDC website.

What is Chikungunya?

Chikungunya is a disease spread through the bite of an infected female Aedes mosquito. The most common symptoms are fever and joint pain. The joint pain may last for six months or more in some people even when the virus is out of their bodies. Learn more about chikungunya by visiting the CDC website.