Global outlook
Dengue is endemic in over 100 countries worldwide and is found primarily in urban settings in the tropics.
Between 50 and 100 million cases of dengue are reported around the world each year and over 2.5 billion people are at risk of infection. Several hundred thousand dengue cases each year result in dengue haemorrhagic fever which usually affects children under 15 years of age. The average fatality rate with dengue haemorrhagic fever is 5% although with timely treatment this is often reduced to less than 1%.
The incidence of dengue worldwide is increasing and the main reasons for this are the increasing use of:
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consumer goods (disposable man-made containers that hold water are ideal for dengue mosquito breeding)
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automobiles (discarded car tyres are also ideal for dengue mosquito breeding)
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air travel (transporting people infected with the dengue virus to other dengue risk areas).
The USA Centers for Disease Control produce a map illustrating the distribution of dengue worldwide.
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