Suspected case of dengue fever reported in S China

Via Xinhua :

" A suspected case of dengue fever has been reported in Zhuhai, a booming city in south China's Guangdong province, quarantine authorities said Wednesday.

The patient, a college student in Zhuhai, was hospitalized on March 8 with a high fever, headache and muscle pains.

The patient tested positive for dengue at a medical institution under the Zhuhai Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau on March 12, Zheng Zhigang, a bureau spokesman, said at a press conference.

Zheng said the patient could also be suffering from a relapse of malaria, as he also tested positive for plasmodium falciparum. "However, no malaria parasite was found in his blood sample."

The spokesman said the patient visited Ghana from Jan. 14 to Feb. 27. "There, he was diagnosed with malaria on Jan. 25 and received five days of treatment."

The patient experienced flu-like symptoms a week after returning to China.

Zheng said two of the student's friends also contracted malaria during their trip to Ghana. "We have warned them of a potential relapse of the disease in case malaria parasites remain in their bodies."