Dengue in Panama

From an ExPat blog:

 just want to bring a few facts to everyone attention regarding this serious disease.We have recently had a friend go through hell and after all was said and done they concluded in San Fernando Hospital in PC he had contracted Dengue. The symptoms begin with a loss of energy,weakness,shortness of breath,,,blood pressure goes all over the map.,heart rate drops drastically as does your platelet count drops through the floor,you become extremely dehydrated and you suffer from extreme body pain. As it worsens your capacity to think clearly becomes difficult. A lot of people in the onset think they are suffering from the flu as the early symptoms are similar.This particular man never did have a fever or nausea. Long story made short ...he came within hours of passing on.If you feel flu like symptoms especially a lot of body pain..ask to be checked for Dengue as if you are bitten again by the lethal mosquito carrying this disease it could very well be fatal.Have your yards sprayed for mosquitos as this disease is really on the rise in Central and South America.Do not have any standing water in your yard where they can bred.Wear bug repellant and again if you start to have symptoms get to a doctor right away and ask to be tested as a lot of doctors here may just pass it off as the flu.This particular fellow went from a healthy active man to close to death in five days. This is not meant to scare people but simply to make you all aware of the rise of this disease right now during wet season.Be careful.