Away With The Steiners

Admitted to hospital in New Delhi after getting Dengue Fever in India.

Sarah Steiner

Getting Dengue in India and being admitted to a hospital in New Delhi is the kind of travel story that you hope to never have.  

We are back in New Zealand now.  And did you know it’s been 5.5 YEARS since we first left for long-term travel setting out from Auckland Airport? That’s over 1976 days of world travel and we celebrate our health and keeping well on the road as a priority. None of us – we are thankful to say – have required medical assistance out in our travels. 

That is; until the very last day we were due to fly back from Delhi…

Gavin is well again now. And we are all adjusting back to life in New Zealand until we resume travel again. 

But after a trying last two weeks of travel in South Asia on the last day Gavin was admitted to hospital in New Delhi with Acute Dengue Fever – a viral infection spread by mosquito. 

Here is our story of getting Dengue in India.  We hope that in sharing the story and the symptoms and reality of getting Dengue in India it might help someone else. 

What is Dengue? 

Dengue – or Dengue Fever – is a viral infection transmitted by mosquitoes.  

It is a complex disease that has no specific treatment.  But the symptoms of Dengue infection can be debilitating and in serious cases, sometimes fatal. 

Besides fever, the disease is characterized by an extreme pain in and stiffness of the joints and is also be referred to as ‘Breakbone Fever’.  

It is a significant global health concern with millions of people infected annually around the world, primarily in tropical and subtropical regions.  Dengue in India is endemic. 

An estimated 40 million people in India fall ill due to mosquito-borne diseases annually.  Dengue is estimated in more than 100 countries around the world with more than 3.9 billion people at risk of infection. 

Getting Dengue Fever in India 

Note we are not medical experts or professionals.  The following is Gavin’s story of getting Dengue in India.  

We were tired travellers after another three months of travel in South Asia.  As the time to finishing drew nearer we were determined to make the most of every last bit of India before flying home. 

But the last week went downhill fast. Gavin describes it as the most uncomfortable pain he has ever experienced. 

Dengue is often known as ‘Break-Bone Fever’ because it gets into your bloodstream and affects the blood cell count causing extreme pain in your joints and muscles. 

So for a family who chases adventure and have kept ourselves healthy all around the world this was more than a shock. 

Gavin was weak, headachy and fainting but with no obvious other symptoms for the first five days. 

It wasn’t until late on the fifth day he developed a huge sheet-red rash. (You know Elmo?!). And as soon as we saw the rash we knew straight away.  

Mild Dengue Fever can be treated at home. Severe Dengue Fever is not as straightforward. And by the eighth day of continued fever he was admitted to hospital in New Delhi. 

Getting Dengue Fever anywhere in the world is no joke. 

Wet monsoon season in Rajasthan mosquitos.
Wet, muddy laneways even in the desert state of Rajasthan during the monsoon and mosquito season in India.

Day 1 and 2 – Getting Dengue Fever in India 

This might sound crazy, but Dengue was far down the list of what we suspected.  

Gavin was exhausted.  He spent the best part of two days in bed in Delhi with an on and off fever and a headache.  

Of course, like everyone travel in India with worries of getting sick, we had considered the fever might be food poisoning, Delhi Belly (traveller’s diarrhoea), exhaustion, sun or heat stroke, dehydration, cough, cold or influenza virus.  We even – despite never having thankfully contracted it – considered Covid. 

Was it Covid? Without a cough? 

But there were no flu symptoms.  Gavin had no diahorrea and no vomiting.  He had a temperature some days and others less.  Sometimes the fever presented so high it felt like he was burning up.  But there was no cough or cold.  

We had a quiet day first thinking it was overdue for a rest day anyway.  

Were we just exhausted?  Burnt out?  

We thought we might just be exhausted.  Maybe the mental overwhelm of finally heading home to New Zealand after more than two and half years since the last visit was catching up with us…

Day 3 – Getting Dengue Fever in India. 

Gavin had spent the first two days of fever inside our hotel room.  He had a terrible headache, pain behind his eyes and aching limbs and joints. 

We didn’t know it yet, but the strange thing about Dengue is that the original fever and pain comes and goes. 

Each morning the boys and I went for breakfast at Smyle Inn.  Breakfast was on the rooftop.  And with no lift, it’s a long way up five flights of stairs with a fever. 

But it was Day 3, after missing the last two mornings of the breakfast, that the first real crash of fever came.   We went up to breakfast first and Gavin surprised us twenty minutes later, thinking he might have been fine. 

He looked like death warmed up at the top of those stairs.  

The breakfast staff were used to his large energy and keen appetite for at least two extra coffees.  But this time there was no energy.  And he didn’t touch anything at all. 

The fever came and went, and we genuinely didn’t know what was wrong.  

The rest of Day 3 was another day in bed. 

Day 4 – Getting Dengue Fever in India

I reckon we’re bred tough as New Zealanders.  By Day 4 we were thinking what it had been it might be more mental exhaustion and burn out and that surely, he must now be over the worst of it. 

Maybe it had been a flu, or Covid or just some kind of travel and or heat exhaustion?

We planned to go for dinner in Connaught Place.  It was a unanimous decision thinking maybe it was time for some good food and an outing beyond the walls of our room here in Delhi. 

We set out into Main Bazar, prematurely hopeful and happy to be stepping out together again. 

But Gavin wasn’t up for it at all.  

Before we even made it to dinner we stopped in Main Bazar while he went faint in a shop.  I held him up while explaining to the friendly shopkeeper we needed to go.  But Gavin had already followed Oscar out into the street heading for our hotel. 

He describes it like delirium.  He can’t remember anything expect following Oscar’s blonde head as a marker through the chaos and colours of Paharganj.  

Harry and I were running along behind while our friends called out to ask if we were ok. 

Were we ok? 

Day 4 was a write-off. 

The otherwise beautifully colourful and bustling evening streets of Paharganj that we so love about New Delhi.

Day 5 – Moving hotels in New Delhi  

Today was moving day. 

With only a couple of days left in India it was time to move towards the airport and get our luggage ready to move back to New Zealand. 

We ordered a taxi instead of moving by rickshaw. 

Gavin was weak but stable.  The fever was less this morning but the headache behind his eyes was unbearable.

Checked in and tucked in at our second hotel in New Delhi and wondering seriously what was up.

Day 6 – How did we know it was Dengue?

It took until Day 6 to realise what it was.  Gavin woke up in the afternoon with a BRIGHT RED SHEET-RASH all over his body.  

He looked like Elmo from Sesame Street.  Bright, bright red from tip to toe.  

As soon as we saw the rash we knew instantly.  

That was Dengue.  Dengue Fever in India.  

The pain was unbearable again. Aching joints and limbs.  But in a weird sort of paradox, it was a relief to know those were the classic symptoms of getting Dengue in India.  And it was an unlikely relief to finally know what we were dealing with. 

The red of the Dengue rash that came and went as the fever ebbed and worsened.
Oscar’s pale skin for comparison to the bright red and typically iconic rash of Dengue fever.

Day 7 – She’ll be right, mate. 

Mild cases of Dengue in India can be treated at home.  And aside from the BRIGHT RED rash that came and went, Gavin had none of the further stereotypical symptoms of Severe Haemorrhagic Dengue. 

We knew we still had 48 hours until our scheduled flight home and everything we read about Dengue in India said that it usually lasts around 7 days. 

Today was Day 7 and with nothing else that needed to be done we stayed inside, and Gavin slept all day.  We kept him hydrated and the headache eased during the day at times and the rash came and went.  Our friends sent a delivery of kiwifruit; one of the suggested fruits with nutrients to support the level of platelets in the blood.

We even tried a Rapid Dengue Antigen Test. But despite keeping Gavin as hydrated as possible with ORS (Oral Rehydration Sachet), water and juice, we couldn’t get enough blood in a finger prick to confirm with the Rapid Test.

Our general feeling tonight was that he would be ok to fly in 24 hours’ time on our scheduled flight home tomorrow night. 

A stack of ORS juice boxes, a Rapid Antigen test for Dengue and some kiwifruit kindly delivered by our friends in New Delhi.

Day 8 – Making the call not to fly

We woke up hopeful that tonight we would all be flying home to New Zealand at midnight.  But breakfast was a non-event, and Gavin had clearly gone downhill again. 

We fast realised he wouldn’t be able to fly and started making calls immediately to our travel insurance to change our flights and find a doctor to confirm Dengue Fever. 

In hindsight, realising on the eighth day of Dengue that we needed to get Gavin to a hospital in Delhi also came with the blessing of time.  It was urgent in the sense he was unwell.  But he was stable and still not yet presenting any of the symptoms of Severe Haemorrhagic Dengue in India aside from the rash.

Gavin was functioning and we felt some immediate relief to cancel our flights and now focus entirely on getting him (a) diagnosed officially and (b) checked by a doctor. 

We tried first to get a doctor to come to the hotel, so he didn’t have to move.  But despite the hotel website advertising an on-call doctor service, they couldn’t find anyone.  

A little hard to see with Gavin’s tattoos, but the red of the rash stuck around while the fever came and went.
Like a sunburned shade of red hoping to sleep it off in our hotel room.

Day 8 – Choosing a hospital in New Delhi, India 

In the end we searched online for closest and best rated and reviewed hospital in New Delhi and headed for Fortis Hospital in Southwest Delhi. 

Gavin was triaged in the Emergency department and given IV fluids immediately.  At the same time Harry (11) passed out in the triage area and was put in a bed a few cubicles down for monitoring too! 

Harry was OK after a short time and was checked out with no further symptoms. 

Four hours later we were all pretty done for by the time Gavin was admitted as an inpatient to the ward.

A very pale Harry to the right of the photo before he passed out and was admitted in a cubicle.
A very red Gavin waiting for transfer to the inpatient ward before Harry passed out in ED and we stayed another two hours.

Day 9 – 11 – Admitted as an inpatient at Fortis Hospital in New Delhi

While there isn’t specific treatment for Dengue virus itself, the main focus is getting the blood platelet count back up to normal range and treating the symptoms with pain relief and IV fluids.

We had been hopeful on Gavin being admitted as an inpatient to the hospital in Delhi that he would only need one night to get his levels back up.  

But it wasn’t as simple as that. 

He had lost a total of 8kg over the last 9 days and his blood platelet levels were below normal.  The risk is of further bleeding with a low platelet count and so his levels were measured daily.  Even simple things like brushing teeth are not suggested for the risk of bleeding. And only paracetamol is administered as a painkiller as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) like Ibuprofen are a potential risk for bleeding too.

Getting Dengue in India is no joke.

What was it like being in hospital in New Delhi? 

Overall the care and expertise of Fortis Hospital in Delhi was a great experience.   The staff are extremely professional and in India, where it comes to fevers and especially Dengue, they know their stuff. 

We were very grateful to the fast and professional assessment in the Emergency Department.  And from there it was a smooth transition to the inpatient ward of the hospital. 

Fortis Hospital in New Delhi is a private hospital and one of many branches of Fortis across the country.  This was reassuring as a traveller and meant they are used to dealing with international patients and the process of dealing with our travel insurance was straightforward. 

Gavin was admitted to a private room with an en-suite bathroom, meals provided and space for one ‘Support Person’ to stay and/or visit. 

The care and service of Fortis Hospital in New Delhi was outstanding.
A room in Fortis Private Hospital in New Delhi, India.

What are the symptoms of Dengue?

Dengue and severe Dengue Fever warning signs are listed on the WHO site: 

Individuals who are infected for the second time are at greater risk of severe dengue so it is worthwhile having Dengue confirmed. 

Severe dengue symptoms often come after the fever has gone away:

After recovery, people who have had dengue may feel tired for several weeks.

Contracting Dengue Fever in India. Are some areas higher risk? 

For us, this is a bittersweet realisation.  We chose our itinerary in India this year to make sure we didn’t go too far south or too tropical.  We knew we would be traveling during the peak season for Dengue in India (August to November).  

The map of risk areas for Dengue in India highlights high risk around Goa and the beach provinces.  So, we intentionally changed plans (despite having already booked train tickets in India) and cancelled Goa for this year. 

If you haven’t’ already read about our disastrous time in Ajmer it’s our least favourite place in India.  After discovering a pigeon in our room, we vowed never to visit Ajmer again.  It was raining and post monsoon flooding and the streets were the filthiest we’ve experienced in India.   

But from there we went to Pushkar. 

And for the first time in India on this trip we took a couple of days out while it rained.  We spent time in the hotel where we weren’t as covered as we would be out and about.  

It was muggy and wet in both Pushkar and Ajmer.  And we saw mosquitos.  

Ironically, we dressed the kids consciously and made sure they were always covered.  But we forgot about looking after ourselves…

Dengue in India usually takes between 4 – 10 days from being infected by mosquito to showing first symptoms. 

The timing was perfect to match the Dengue infection in either Ajmer or Pushkar to showing fever and symptoms by the time we got back to New Delhi. 

The reality of traveling in India during the monsoon and mosquito season.
Wet and muddy roads in mosquito season even in the desert state of Rajasthan.

Preventing Dengue while traveling in India

The best way to avoid infection is to prevent mosquito bites.  Check whether the area you are traveling to is having a Dengue outbreak or whether you will be visiting in the heightened season for Dengue.  

Dengue in India is most prevalent during the wet season from July to November. 

If you know you will be traveling in areas where Dengue is prone, wear protective clothing with long-sleeves and cover up.  Use mosquito repellent containing DEET on exposed skin. 

Monsoon rains and peak mosquito season somewhere in the old city of Ajmer, Rajasthan.

Make sure to get good travel insurance for India

We have always travelled with insurance from World Nomads and Safety Wing. While we would never travel without insurance, and it has been five and half years without a claim, we were very thankful for insurance when faced with the challenge of getting Dengue in India.

Our insurance with World Nomads meant we could cancel our flights and stay in India for Gavin to get treatment for Dengue as an inpatient at a private hospital.

Final thoughts? Getting home from India and post-Dengue recovery in New Zealand.

It was definitely not how we had pictured our last days in South Asia. And it’s taken us this long to get back online properly and begin to fil in the gaps of our absence. 

We feel very thankful to family on the other end of late night and distressed phone calls as we made the difficult decision not to fly home as scheduled and to seek medical advice instead.  

It was a great decision in the end. 

Be safe out there. Getting Dengue in India while traveling is not fun.

Where to stay in India and accommodation we recommend in New Delhi

Pigeons aside (Ajmer) there are some great places to stay in India.  These are the hotels and accommodation we use regularly on our travels in India and that we can recommend for your trip. 

The beautiful from of Jaipur Haveli in the heart of the Pink City. 

More about travel planning for India and beyond…

These are the companies we use while traveling fulltime as a family and that we would recommend to anyone planning and booking travel. 

Read more from travel in India and South Asia

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