What are the common symptoms of dengue fever?

Common symptoms of dengue fever often start with a sudden high fever, severe frontal headache, pain behind the eyes, intense pain in the joints and muscles, pronounced fatigue, and later a distinctive rash on the skin.

The incubation period usually runs about 4 to 10 days after a person is bitten by an infected mosquito. The intense muscle pain and joint pain have, over time, earned dengue the name “breakbone fever” as a kind of nickname. Most cases remain mild and improve within a week, but if the fever suddenly drops and severe stomach or abdominal pain appears, plus persistent vomiting or bleeding from mucous membranes, this can point to severe dengue, also called Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever. At that stage, immediate emergency medical care is needed.