Tanzanian singer, Ray C, diagnosed with dengue fever

Tanzanian musician, Rehema Chalamila aka Ray C, has been diagnosed, hospitalized and since discharged with a bout of the mosquito borne virus, dengue fever, according to a Star report Friday.

According to the report, the Bongo flava musician as taken ill and was admitted for three days at Mwananyamala Hospital in Kinondoni, Dar es Salaam, after she tested positive for dengue fever. 

Image/Video Screen Shot

“I thank God that I am now feeling good after being discharged from the hospital. Dengue fever is a dangerous disease but it’s by His grace that my health is no longer under threat,” she said. 

Dengue fever has resurfaced recently in Tanzania, according to the Health and Social Welfare ministry. “Over the past two weeks, the number of patients has doubled to 140 in comparison to the earlier days. Mwananyamala Hospital has so far reported one death resulting from the disease,” says the statement signed by Health and Social Welfare minister Dr Seif Suleiman Rashid.

“It is important that one should report to hospital since at times the symptoms of dengue are very much similar to those of malaria. However, at times one might bleed through the gums, mouth, nose, anus and even private parts. These signs have been noticed in three of the victims, one of whom died,” said the minister.

Dengue fever is an infectious disease carried by mosquitoes and caused by any of five (researchers recently identified a fifth dengue subtype, the first in 50 years)  related dengue viruses. This disease used to be called “break-bone fever” because it sometimes causes severe joint and muscle pain that feels like bones are breaking.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates there may be 50–100 million dengue infectionsworldwide every year. However, new research from the University of Oxford and the Wellcome Trust, using cartographic approaches, estimate there to be 390 million dengue infections per year worldwide.

There are three types of dengue fever in order of less severe to most: the typical uncomplicated dengue fever, dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHS) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS).

There is not a vaccine for dengue fever. There is no treatment for dengue, just treat the symptoms.