Quebec man catches dengue fever during trip to Martinique

Jacob Tremblay recalls catching dengue fever in Martinique. (Noovo Info)

A Quebec man is warning fellow travellers to protect themselves before heading off on any international adventures after he caught dengue fever, a viral infection transmitted by mosquitoes, while on a trip to Martinique in the Caribbean.

“Two days before I came back, I started to get really ill,” Jacob Tremblay tells Noovo Info. “I had a fever of 40 [degrees Celsius], and when I got on the plane, I was in bad shape.”

Upon returning home to Saguenay, Tremblay says he had muscle pain, difficulty walking and a swollen stomach.

He was eventually admitted to a hospital in Jonquière in the province’s Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region.

“I was in so much pain that I told the doctor that if what they were doing didn’t work, I was going to ask for medical aid in dying,” said Tremblay. “It hurt so much. It was horrible.”

Cases of dengue fever are considered rare, presenting with symptoms including fever, headache, rash and muscle and joint pain.

In serious cases, it can cause death.

In Canada, there is currently no approved vaccine or medication that protects against it.

“Classic dengue fever causes headaches and fever, so it’s not very serious. The mortality rate is around one per cent,” explains Nancy Lavoie, a nurse who specializes in travel health.

However, she adds, dengue hemorrhagic fever, also known as severe dengue, can affect the body’s vascular system and lead to significant internal bleeding and organ failure.

The Public Health Agency of Canada notes that though the dengue virus is not present in mosquitoes in Canada, outbreaks are increasingly common in tropical and subtropical regions.

It recommends protecting yourself from mosquito bites when in areas where dengue fever is present.

Additionally, all travellers should make sure to be properly protected before taking flight.

To find out if your travel destination requires certain vaccines or medications, click here.