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Monday, May 16, 2011

UK : Dengue fever cases increase in West Midlands

Article from Coventry Telegraph :

" THE NUMBER of travellers who return to the West Midlands with dengue fever has risen nearly 200 per cent.

Laboratories recorded 35 cases of the mosquito-borne infection during 2010, up from 13 the previous year.

Dengue fever is also on the rise nationally with 240 extra cases last year.

The disease does not occur in the UK and all the cases were caught overseas. Most of those last year were linked to travel to India or Thailand.

Another infection carried by mosquitos, chikungunya, doubled to six cases in the West Midlands last year. Around half the 79 cases UK wide were connected to India.

The figures were released by the Health Protection Agency (HPA).

Its regional epidemiologist Dr Obaghe Edeghere said the rise showed how important it was to take precautions to prevent mosquito bites during the day as well as at dawn and dusk."

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