Mediaboss Marketing

More than 1,300 people infected with mosquito-borne disease in Madeira Hospital treatment for 89 people since early October but no deaths so far Dengue fever is caused by a bite from a mosquito infected with the virus

By Jenny Hope and Jill Reilly

PUBLISHED: 08:44 EST, 21 November 2012 | UPDATED: 20:15 EST, 21 November 2012

Experts have warned that Europe faces a sustained outbreak of dengue fever the worst in almost 100 years.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said yesterday that the continent is experiencing its first sustained transmission of dengue fever, which is carried by mosquitoes, since the 1920s.

Six Britons have been confirmed as suffering from the disease after contracting it on the holiday island of Madeira.

Infection: More than 1,300 people infected have been with the mosquito-borne disease in the Portuguese island of Madeira

A further 19 cases have been found elsewhere in Europe among travellers returning from the island.

Since the outbreak began in early October, 1,357 cases of dengue fever have been reported in Madeira, including 669 laboratory-confirmed cases and 688 probable cases.

See the rest here:
Killer Dengue fever outbreak reaches Britain after holidaymakers spread it across Europe