America's Dengue Cases Increase 280%

As the global dengue fever outbreak of 2024 reaches new records, the United States, its Territories, and freely associated states are unfortunately exceeding past milestones.

As of November 15, 2024, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that in the continental U.S., 2,495 dengue cases have been confirmed this year. This compares with 1,540 in 2023.

Additionally, the CDC confined the U.S. territories that reported 4,166 dengue cases in 2024, far exceeding the 782 cases reported last year.

Throughout the entire Region of the Americas, 43 countries and territories have reported over 12,371,235 dengue cases and 7,456 related fatalities this year. This data compares with 2023 when 4,617,108 dengue cases were reported.

One factor influencing these mosquito-transmitted outbreaks is the lack of vaccines.

While the first-generation vaccine (Dengvaxia) was withdrawn in most countries in 2024, including the U.S., a more effective second-generation vaccine (Qdenga®) is facing overwhelming demand.

Qdenga's manufacturer, Takeda, announced in February 2024 that it intends to deliver 100 million doses annually by 2030. 

Since the U.S. FDA and Takeda have not announced progress in approving Qdenga, hopefully, other dengue vaccine candidates will become available in the U.S. next year.