{
  "id": 7214346,
  "title": "How chronic illness can raise the risk of severe dengue",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/how-chronic-illness-can-raise-the-risk-of-severe-dengue-7214346",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-09-14T00:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/leisure/2026/09/14/how-chronic-illness-can-raise-the-risk-of-severe-dengue"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "For Grace Ooi, a second dengue infection proved far more severe than her first. Living with diabetes and hypertension, the 45-year-old experienced intense fever and plummeting platelet counts during her 2013 bout, requiring a blood transfusion and intensive care. This highlights a lesser-known risk: patients with chronic illnesses face heightened danger from dengue, and a second infection with a different virus type can also lead to more severe complications. Health officials report a 66% increase in dengue cases in Malaysia, partly due to a shift towards the more dangerous DENV-3 virus. Consultant emergency physician Dr Ganasan Chelladurai warns that older adults, especially those with obesity and diabetes, are particularly vulnerable when dengue symptoms appear late. Warning signs include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, bleeding, breathing difficulties, and rapid deterioration. Dr Ganasan emphasizes the importance of early intervention, as complications may arise even as fever subsides. Some underlying conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, have been linked to a higher risk of severe dengue, though the risk varies. Studies from Vietnam and Brazil found that chronic conditions significantly increase the likelihood of severe disease and mortality. Despite these risks, not everyone with chronic illnesses will develop severe dengue, and healthy individuals are not immune to complications. The case of a 50-year-old diabetic patient who worked through dengue symptoms, only to deteriorate severely and die, underscores the potential consequences. Ganasan stresses the importance of considering the whole person - age, underlying conditions, and previous dengue history - when assessing and managing dengue risk. Prevention remains crucial, involving measures such as eliminating stagnant water, using repellents, and seeking early medical attention when symptoms appear.",
  "summary": "People with diabetes, hypertension and other conditions may face higher risk of severe dengue and should not wait for symptoms to worsen before seeking help.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "How chronic illness can raise the risk of severe dengue",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/how-chronic-illness-can-raise-the-risk-of-severe-dengue",
        "published": "2026-09-14T00:30:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}