Dengue fever case confirmed in UK

A case of dengue fever has been reported in England, the Health Protection Agency said.

The HPA said the case was linked to the Portuguese island of Madeira, where there is currently an outbreak of the disease.

The sufferer was “recovering well”, a spokesman said, but gave no further details to their identity or nationality.

Dengue fever is a viral infection spread by mosquitoes. Symptoms include a fever, headache and bone, muscle and joint pain. It can lead to more serious complications.

So far 52 confirmed and 404 probable cases have been identified by Portuguese Ministry of Public Health on the island west of Morocco, plus two cases in France and one in Sweden linked to the outbreak.

“The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) does not recommend any restrictions on travel to Madeira, but travellers are advised to protect themselves from mosquito bites by taking necessary precautions,” an HPA spokesman said.