Dengue fever is a tropical, waterborne disease spread by mosquitoes. EPA
Dengue fever is a tropical, waterborne disease spread by mosquitoes. EPA
Dengue fever is a tropical, waterborne disease spread by mosquitoes. EPA
Dengue fever is a tropical, waterborne disease spread by mosquitoes. EPA

Global dengue fever cases surge, with rising numbers in Middle East


Nick Webster
  • English
  • Arabic

Global cases of the debilitating tropical disease dengue fever are rising dramatically, with a number of Arab nations seeing a reported rise in cases in recent months.

Dengue fever is a waterborne disease spread by mosquitoes, and is rarely reported in the Emirates.

Cases internationally are increasing, with more than 4.2 million infections reported worldwide in 2023, compared with only 500,000 at the turn of the century. According to the University of Washington's Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation, the Mena region registered an 88 per cent increase in cases of dengue fever from 1990 to 2019.

We are seeing dengue cases arising every year whereas before we didn't see any
Dr Ali Ahmed,
Canadian Specialist Hospital, Dubai

The institute also said there had been 1.2 million more incidents of the virus in the World Health Organisation's Eastern Mediterranean Region reported in that time.

Medics in Dubai said although numbers of infected patients requiring care were low, several cases had been reported to health authorities in recent months.

“In 2023, we saw an increased surge in vector-borne disease,” said Dr Nandkishore Mariswamy, an internal medicine specialist at NMC hospital in Dubai Investments Park.

“At the end of the summer, we saw multiple cases of local spread of dengue in Dubai, which was very surprising.”

Dengue fever is usually spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, often referred to as the yellow fever mosquito, an unheard of phenomenon in Dubai, Dr Mariswamy said.

“Usually, whenever there is a weather change or climate change, we find that warmer climates favour these vector-borne mosquitoes to thrive,” he said.

The estimated number of deaths caused by dengue fever in 2019, by country. Our World in Data
The estimated number of deaths caused by dengue fever in 2019, by country. Our World in Data

Steady rise in cases

According to the WHO, dengue and severe dengue epidemics were first reported in the Eastern Mediterranean region in 1998, and have continued to rise since then. Nine countries in the area, Egypt, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Djibouti have had outbreaks, with Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Oman reporting the highest number of confirmed cases in 2023.

The government's Emirates Health Services website has not published any recent data, the site does have a page dedicated to dengue fever, with related information and preventive measures.

It is not just in the UAE where unusual numbers of cases have been reported.

An outbreak of Dengue fever was reported last summer in Egypt, particularly in the Red Sea governorate.

Research by the department of biology sciences at the King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, found numbers of dengue cases soared in 2023.

Data showed a major epidemic year in the kingdom for dengue, with infections reaching 4,099 in the first half of 2023, a significant increase on previous years.

Only 300 cases were reported in Jeddah in 1994, when disease surveillance was first established.

Common symptoms

Dr Nandkishore Mariswamy said he was surprised at the number of dengue cases he saw this summer in Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National
Dr Nandkishore Mariswamy said he was surprised at the number of dengue cases he saw this summer in Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National

Infection in human beings is caused by any one of four closely related dengue viruses that lead to a range of symptoms.

While vaccine research is continuing, the four subtypes of the virus make it a challenge to develop an effective prophylactic.

The most common signs are a high fever of 39ºC to 40ºC, severe headaches, joint and muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, mild nosebleeds and a skin rash.

Symptoms can be mild and almost unnoticeable but in more severe cases, such as in pregnant women, the young and elderly, or those with existing health problems, the symptoms can be fatal if left untreated.

In 2019, the WHO warned that an increase in global outbreaks was likely, particularly during seasonal changes and periods of heavy rainfall.

“With waterborne diseases, most of the time it causes abdominal symptoms like diarrhoea, vomiting and severe dehydration,” said Dr Ali Ahmed from the Canadian Specialist Hospital in Dubai.

Aedes aegypti mosquitoes can cause dengue, chikungunya, zika fever, mayaro and yellow fever. AP
Aedes aegypti mosquitoes can cause dengue, chikungunya, zika fever, mayaro and yellow fever. AP

“If someone is affected by the disease or their immune system gets activated, they are in a compromised situation,” Dr Ahmed said.

“When a patient comes with symptoms like high fever, we check for dengue as it usually presents with a very high temperature of 39ºC or 40ºC.”

To confirm a diagnosis, doctors will check a patient’s platelets – cell fragments in the blood that prevent heavy bleeding – because a low count could signal internal bleeding, another common symptom.

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An antigen blood test would follow to confirm the presence of the pathogen, before the case is reported to health authorities.

Dr Ali said he had recorded about 25 cases of dengue fever in his hospital in 2023, having typically reported about five cases annually in previous years.

Those testing positive for the virus had no history of travel, suggesting it was contracted in the UAE.

“There have been more cases here than in previous years, and I’ve had that confirmed in discussion with other doctors,” he said.

“We are seeing dengue cases arising every year whereas before we didn't see any.”

Many of the recently reported cases appear to be in Dubai, where people who have contracted dengue from mosquitoes have been warning others on social media to be on their guard.

In October, Al Zahra Hospital in Dubai published the details of a 58-year-old woman who had the disease, with no history of travel outside the UAE.

“We have been seeing dengue fever every now and then, with most of the cases we are seeing coming from endemic countries,” said Dr Dima Ibrahim, an infectious disease specialist at Burjeel Medical City in Abu Dhabi.

“It was almost unheard of to have this disease in the Middle East and North Africa because of the dry air. Some colleagues have described cases to have occurred without any history of travel, like in Dubai.”

Once doctors at BMC suspect dengue fever based on symptoms and laboratory testing, cases are reported to the Department of Health.

Hospitals offer supportive treatment, such as medication to treat headaches and to control the fever.

“There is no specific treatment that we give for dengue,” said Dr Ibrahim.

“The weather change has made the presence of mosquitoes more prevalent, so we must try to prevent transmission of the disease.

“If there is an area with mosquitoes, apply insect repellent to the skin and, sometimes, to the bedding. If you have activity outdoors, people should wear long sleeves to protect the skin from mosquito bites.”

It is not just in the UAE where unusual numbers of cases have been reported.

European cases

As of November, 122 cases had been reported in southern Europe in 2023.

According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, there were 76 confirmed cases in Italy, 43 in France and three in Spain.

The WHO said it was alarmed by the high number of cases in the second half of 2023, with cumulative cases for the year surpassing all previous yearly totals.

In some countries, cases extended beyond historically affected areas of transmission.

In the US, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention investigated four cases of locally acquired malaria in Texas and Florida.

Mosquito surveillance and control measures were put in place in the affected areas as a result.

As the planet warms, infectious diseases could undergo a dramatic shift, experts said.

More frequent droughts and floods expose populations to more waterborne microbes, while migrating animals interact with species not encountered before, allowing pathogens to spread among new hosts.

Infectious disease specialists in the US called on doctors to update their education and training to adapt to new pathogens and viruses related to climate change.

Viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites can all cause infectious diseases, many of which are transmitted between humans, or from animals.

Longer summers and shorter, warmer winters around the world with more rainfall and standing water, in which mosquitoes multiply, are driving up vector-borne diseases.

“Clinicians need to be ready to deal with the changes in the infectious disease landscape,” said Prof George Thompson from the department of medical microbiology and immunology at the University of California's Davis School of Medicine.

“Learning about the connection between climate change and disease behaviour can help guide diagnoses, treatment and prevention of infectious diseases.

“I think with improvements in our understanding of the disease, there will be more testing and we'll miss fewer cases that way.”

Dark Souls: Remastered
Developer: From Software (remaster by QLOC)
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Price: Dh199

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

Asia Cup Qualifier

Final
UAE v Hong Kong

Live on OSN Cricket HD. Coverage starts at 5.30am

Our legal consultant

Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

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Sweet%20Tooth
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJim%20Mickle%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EChristian%20Convery%2C%20Nonso%20Anozie%2C%20Adeel%20Akhtar%2C%20Stefania%20LaVie%20Owen%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
RESULTS

5pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 2,200m
Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Fernando Jara (jockey), Ahmed Al Mehairbi (trainer)

5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: AF Seven Skies, Bernardo Pinheiro, Qais Aboud

6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: Almahroosa, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel

6.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: AF Sumoud, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel

7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: AF Majalis, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel

7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Adventurous, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

The%20Little%20Mermaid%20
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Red flags
  • Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
  • Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
  • Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
  • Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
  • Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.

Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

THE SPECS

      

 

Engine: 1.5-litre

 

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

 

Power: 110 horsepower 

 

Torque: 147Nm 

 

Price: From Dh59,700 

 

On sale: now  

 
UAE Team Emirates

Valerio Conti (ITA)
Alessandro Covi (ITA)
Joe Dombrowski (USA)
Davide Formolo (ITA)
Fernando Gaviria (COL)
Sebastian Molano (COL)
Maximiliano Richeze (ARG)
Diego Ulissi (ITAS)

Stage result

1. Jasper Philipsen (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix 4:42:34

2. Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Hansgrohe

3. Elia Viviani (Ita) Ineos Grenadiers

4. Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) BikeExchange-Jayco

5. Emils Liepins (Lat) Trek-Segafredo

6. Arnaud Demare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ

7. Max Kanter (Ger) Movistar Team

8. Olav Kooij (Ned) Jumbo-Visma

9. Tom Devriendt (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux

10. Pascal Ackermann (Ger) UAE Team Emirate

Temple numbers

Expected completion: 2022

Height: 24 meters

Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people

Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people

First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time

First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres  

Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres

Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor 

Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill

Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.

Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDirect%20Debit%20System%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sept%202017%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20with%20a%20subsidiary%20in%20the%20UK%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Undisclosed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Elaine%20Jones%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.

The Beach Bum

Director: Harmony Korine

Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Isla Fisher, Snoop Dogg

Two stars

The Perfect Couple

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor

Creator: Jenna Lamia

Rating: 3/5

The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont

Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950

Engine 3.6-litre V6

Gearbox Eight-speed automatic

Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm

Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm

Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km

Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Belong%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Michael%20Askew%20and%20Matthew%20Gaziano%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Technology%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20funding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%243.5%20million%20from%20crowd%20funding%20and%20angel%20investors%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2012%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Paatal Lok season two

Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

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%3Cp%3EThe%20UAE%20will%20host%20Scotland%20for%20a%20three-match%20T20I%20series%20at%20the%20Dubai%20International%20Stadium%20next%20month.%3Cbr%3EThe%20two%20sides%20will%20start%20their%20Cricket%20World%20Cup%20League%202%20campaigns%20with%20a%20tri-series%20also%20involving%20Canada%2C%20starting%20on%20January%2029.%3Cbr%3EThat%20series%20will%20be%20followed%20by%20a%20bilateral%20T20%20series%20on%20March%2011%2C%2013%20and%2014.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

The specs

Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)

The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
MATCH INFO

What: 2006 World Cup quarter-final
When: July 1
Where: Gelsenkirchen Stadium, Gelsenkirchen, Germany

Result:
England 0 Portugal 0
(Portugal win 3-1 on penalties)

History's medical milestones

1799 - First small pox vaccine administered

1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery

1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases

1895 - Discovery of x-rays

1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time

1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin

1953 - Structure of DNA discovered

1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place 

1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill

1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.

1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out

Company%C2%A0profile
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Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
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Updated: April 01, 2024, 5:20 AM