Dengue disaster: American tourist’s harrowing ordeal in Thailand

Paisley Peach and Julian De Prince were vacationing in Thailand, trying to experience as much as possible before starting a family. Their adventure turned into a nightmare after a party on the island of Ko Pha Ngan, where they were attacked by mosquitoes. "After the rave was over, I was covered in bites," recalls Paisley.

The very next day, October 3rd, both woke up with high fevers. "We didn't have a thermometer, but we felt we had a high fever," Paisley reported in an interview with Express. They initially tried to isolate themselves in a rented bungalow in a remote part of the island. However, while Julian slowly recovered, Paisley's condition steadily declined.

"I felt as if my bones were going to break, and my head was going to explode," Paisley described her symptoms. She was unable to eat or sleep. When she began vomiting even after drinking water, and her body temperature seemed alarmingly high, she recognized the seriousness of the situation.

The final blow came when she lost consciousness in the bathroom. Her husband found her with her eyes rolled back. "Julian knew we needed to get to the hospital immediately," she recalls.

Doctors confirmed dengue fever, a viral infection transmitted by mosquitoes. Additionally, her platelet count drastically dropped to just 40,000 when the normal range is from 150,000 to 400,000. The situation was serious.

Paisley spent three days in the hospital, where her health was monitored. After discharge, she was only able to eat plain rice and small portions of potatoes, but she began slowly recovering.

"I most regret not using insect spray. I was always afraid of chemicals, but now I know that was a mistake. It's always worth getting vaccinated and not avoiding repellents," she comments today, after recovering.

Dengue is a virus that should not be underestimated, and protection against mosquitoes should be one of the key elements of travelling to at-risk countries.