by A grieving mother whose son died of dengue fever while traveling with friends through Asia has spoken out following a global spike in the deadly virus.
Jayne Toulson-Burke, from Stockport, warned travelers to take precautions after the Foreign Office issued a health alert last week amid an ‘unexpected rise’ in dengue cases and deaths. Her son Bob died of dengue fever in a hospital in Thailand on 7 December 2016.
His last words to his mother during a phone call home while in the back of an ambulance were: “I have to go now. I can’t breathe and they’re putting a tube down my throat.”
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Tearful Jayne told the Manchester Evening News: “That was the last I heard from him. He went into a coma and never came back to consciousness.”
She said her son sounded ‘worried’ and died about a week later in hospital in Phuket, Thailand. Her son had fallen ill when he and his friends were flying from Laos to Thailand and he sought treatment at another hospital in Pa Tong where doctors thought it was just ‘the flu’. He was transferred to Phuket but was never found.
Asked if her son’s outcome might have been different if he had known more about the virus, Jayne, 59, a teaching assistant from Davenport in Stockport, said: “I have no doubt about that. He’s a sensible boy. He’s not going to be silly. He doesn’t even like to be examined.”
She encouraged travelers to know the symptoms of dengue fever and to ‘demand’ a blood test at the hospital to confirm the presence of the virus and then treat it.
The World Health Organization says about four billion people in 130 countries are at risk of dengue – a virus spread by mosquitoes found in tropical and subtropical regions around the world, including parts of Europe. Travel Health Pro, a division of the Foreign Office, has warned that dengue has ‘spread into regions previously thought to be dengue-free’. As of April 2024, more than five million dengue cases and more than 2,000 dengue-related deaths have been reported worldwide since the beginning of 2024.
An increase in dengue cases has been reported worldwide, including in Asia, Central and South America and throughout the Caribbean. Dengue is not endemic in Europe, says Travel Health Pro. But if environmental conditions are favorable in parts of Europe where mosquitoes that can carry dengue live, travel-related cases may cause dengue to spread locally. Some European countries have previously reported locally acquired cases of dengue.
In 2023, locally acquired cases were reported in France, Italy and Spain, the Foreign Office subsidiary says.
Jayne was at the passport office in Liverpool trying to get a new document in place so she could fly out to Asia when she learned the terrible news of her son’s death from one of her two other sons, Mark, who had traveled to Thailand. to be with Bob.
Now the voice of a campaign to spread awareness about dengue, she said: “You might think this is only in the tropics or Asia. It’s not. It’s now in Europe. If only Bob knew, if his knowing more about this, it would
Her son quit his job as a personal assistant at a vitamin shake business to travel around Asia, first visiting Vietnam before moving on to Laos and then Thailand with friends. They planned to visit Cambodia.
Jayne, who urged travelers to visit the World Mosquito Program to find out more, said: “I want people to see that it was just a normal family and it has hit us. You don’t need a university education to go and travel and discover. yourself and have a great experience. If this happened to us, it can happen to anyone.”
What is dengue?
Dengue is caused by a virus and is spread by the bite of an infected mosquito that feeds mainly during daytime hours, says the alert published at the beginning of May on the Travel Health Pro website. There are four different types of dengue virus: DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3 and DENV-4.
What are the symptoms?
Most people infected with dengue will not have symptoms, says Travel Health Pro.
“If illness occurs, it starts suddenly with high fever, severe headache, muscle and joint pain, nausea, vomiting and rash. Most infections are self-limiting, with rapid recovery three to four days after the rash appears,” the alert reads.
Are there treatments for dengue?
A small number of infected people can go on to develop a severe form of the illness – known as severe dengue, although it was sometimes called dengue haemorrhagic fever in the past. Symptoms of severe illness include dangerously low blood pressure (shock), accumulation of fluid in the lungs and heavy bleeding (hemorrhage). All four types of dengue virus infection can lead to dengue or severe dengue, according to Travel Health Pro.
There is currently no specific drug treatment for severe dengue illness, but there are ‘supportive’ treatments for shock and bleeding, which improve survival. Without this help, a severe dengue illness can kill.
Advice for travellers
Before you go:
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Travel Health Pro states that all travelers, including cruise passengers, who are visiting areas where dengue cases have been reported or are believed to be present are at risk of infection
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Refer to the ‘other risks’ section on the Travel Health Pro country information web pages to assess the risk of dengue at your destination and for specific advice on other health risks
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Check the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) country advice for safety and security information for your destination
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Consult your GP, practice nurse, pharmacist or travel clinic to ensure your recommended travel vaccines and routine UK vaccines, including MMR, are up to date
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A live, attenuated (weakened) dengue vaccine called Qdenga is licensed in the UK, but is not suitable for all travelers
While abroad:
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Minimize your risk of all insect-borne illnesses, including dengue, by wearing long-sleeved tops and pants and applying insect repellent regularly, according to Travel Health Pro.
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Always stick to insects and tick bite avoidance advice
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As dengue is transmitted by daytime biting mosquitoes, take extra precautions during the day, especially at dawn and dusk
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Remember that in tropical countries there is a risk of dengue throughout the year
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Insect repellant should be applied after sunscreen and reapplied regularly after any activities, including swimming
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Insect repellents containing 50% DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide) are currently the most effective and can be used by pregnant or breastfeeding women, as well as children from two months of age .
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If DEET is not suitable, other insect repellents containing Icaridin (Picaridin); Eucalyptus citriodora oil, hydrated, circular; or 3-ethlyaminopropionate can be used instead
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When staying with friends or family, it is important to reduce mosquito breeding sites around the house by eliminating any stagnant water in plant pots, gutters, drains and trash.
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Insecticide treated bed nets and cot nets offer good protection against mosquito bites while sleeping during the day
On your return:
Travel Health Pro says if you experience symptoms such as a high fever, severe headache or rash within two weeks of returning from a dengue-risk country, seek urgent medical help. Don’t forget to tell your doctor or nurse about every country you’ve visited.
