Travel alert! Guatemala issues alarm: Dengue fever

Guatemala is a popular travel and tourism destination. Today the government of this Central American country issued a warning. Dengue fever is spreading and has killed.

Guatemala is a popular travel and tourism destination. Today the government of this Central American country issued a warning. Dengue fever is spreading and has killed.

Visitors planning to travel to Guatemala should avoid dengue fever by avoiding being bitten by the aedes aegypti mosquito, which is active throughout the day but mainly bites at dusk or dawn. Cover up in the evenings, use mosquito repellent, and sleep under a mosquito net. No vaccine has been invented.

If you happen to wake up in the middle of the night with a migraine that feels like the engine of a fighter plane batting against your retinas, you may be experiencing one of the first symptoms of dengue fever.

After the panicked realization that your body temperature is approaching that of the Sun, you’ll want to fix yourself a nice ice bucket and plonk it beside your pillow. Don’t expect to be moving for the next three days, except to periodically lean over and dunk your boiling, sweaty head into the bucket.

Yes, this will turn your hair into a mangled mess of rat-tails and dreadlocks but don’t worry: all you’ll need to do is drain an entire bottle of conditioner on it once youโ€™ve regained the physical strength to get to a chemist and back.

Settle into that sweat puddle of a pillow and get comfortable for 3-12 days. You have been blessed with the kiss of a dengue-fever-ridden mosquito.

What to expect:

Days 1-3:

Fever of up to 50 degrees Celsius
Pain in the occipital & retina
Dizziness and nausea
Pain in the lower back
Loss of appetite
Development of anxiety and/or depression

Days 3-5:

Temporary lowering of body temperature & blood pressure
Temporary relief of some or all symptoms,
Development of a rash on the arms, palms, face, and neck

Days 5-7:

Vomiting and worsened nausea
Aches and muscle soreness
Constipation
Swelling of the palms and extremities
Extreme redness of the face, neck, and ears

Days 7-10:

Fatigue and lethargy
Continued symptoms from days 1-3 & 5-7
Inflamed feet (especially the soles) and palms
Itchiness due to petechiae (“red skin spots”)

It’s recommended taking acetaminophen to relieve the fever, which should be readily available at any chemist. Avoid reaching for aspirin. Victims might also consider natural ways to alleviate their suffering.

The only proven method of recovery is rest and time. You should be ok after 12 days.

About the author

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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