Dengue is on Rise! US Travelers Face Growing Risk
United States: Dengue fever cases affecting US travelers show increasing numbers, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expect will continue their upward trend this year.
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The United States recorded a “record number” of dengue fever cases in travelers during the previous year when 3,484 people tested positive, marking an 84% increase from the previous year.
A warning issued by the CDC stated, “This trend is expected to continue with increased dengue activity in endemic areas in 2025,” the Hill reported.
Some sections of both the United States and worldwide areas maintain high rates of dengue fever transmission, while the US territories of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, along with multiple parts of the Americas, experience elevated disease activity monthly.
The increased temperature of spring and summer makes it easier for dengue to be transmitted, thus raising the risk of travelers getting infected with the disease.
The World Health Organization (WHO) confirms that the virus cases have seen consistent growth patterns during the previous five years, mostly throughout the American continent.
WHO records rising cases
During 2024, the World Health Organization recorded 7.6 million viral cases, resulting in 3.4 million confirmed infections, exceeding 16,000 severe infections and 3,000 reported virus-related deaths.
The outbreak threshold for dengue fever persisted in Puerto Rico starting from February of the previous year.
The Puerto Rican authorities issued a public health emergency declaration, which has remained in force since March 2024.
According to the CDC, the island documented 6,291 dengue cases that hospitalized more than 52 percent of patients, with 13 deaths confirmed in 2024.
An outbreak of dengue was declared in August 2024 on US Virgin Islands and this declaration continues to be active.
As reported early in March 2025, the total outbreak cases identified in 2024 reached 208, and case counts in 2025 stood at 30.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted that Florida, together with California and New York, reported the most dengue cases to their records during 2024.
