KEILAR: Dengue fever is sweeping Southeastern Brazil and the crisis getting worse by the day. More than 55,000 cases of the mosquito-borne virus have been reported in Rio De Janeiro state over the past four months. The death toll is at least 67, and in the city of Rio De Janeiro, the municipal hospital has run out of beds. Brazilian troops are doing what they can to help.</s>HOLMES: Some facts now about dengue. It's transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. It cannot be spread from person to person. More than 100 million cases are reported around the world each year. Symptoms include high fever, severe headache, back ache, joint pains, vomiting, eye pain and rash. Dengue hemorrhagic fever, or DHF, is a more severe form of the virus and can be fatal if it is not treated. We've got a lot more information coming your way here in a short time. We did talk to a doctor from the CDC who was here with me on the set a short time ago to explain more about dengue fever. And also a lot of people concerned here in the U.S. Is this something that can travel here? Well, he said, it's already been here. It's been here. It's just not widespread. And in many cases, Brianna, folks will have it and won't even know it. It just kind of works itself out. Most people can fight it off and ward it off. But he has some information a lot of people are going to want to hear.</s>KEILAR: Sure, and if you travel, you're going to want to hear it, too.</s>HOLMES: Yes.</s>KEILAR: I know I went to Peru in November.</s>HOLMES: Yes.</s>KEILAR: And when I got my vaccinations I was warned about it. And it's some scary symptoms, of course. But good information. And you may assume that your doctor knows everything about your health, from test results to medications, but remember you're not his or her only patient. So learn how to help your doctor help you.
Dengue Fever Sweeps Southern Brazil