Epidemiology of Dengue Fever in Hajjah Governorate, Yemen, from 2020 to 2024

Background The world faces ongoing challenges because the increasing number of dengue fever cases has become a major public health concern, with the potential for a pandemic resulting from a lack of attention and neglect. The Hajjah Governorate, located in subtropical regions, has not received any epidemiological studies on the prevalence of dengue fever. Therefore, we designed this study retrospectively to assess the prevalence of dengue fever in Hajjah Governorate over a five-year period (2020–2024). Methods This retrospective study was based on secondary clinical data collected from the Hajjah Governorate Health and Environment Office database between 2020 and 2024. Furthermore, the data were obtained electronically, checked for their completeness and consistency, analyzed statistically, and presented in tables and figures. Results Of the 10,617 suspected dengue fever cases, 7,784 (73.3%) were classified as dengue fever according to the laboratory diagnosis (4,284; 40.3%) and clinical signs and symptoms (3,500; 33.0%). A higher proportion of DF cases was observed in males (6,994; 74.7%), the age group 5–14 years (1,632; 75.5%), in 2020 (3,756; 81.5%), and in autumn (3,633; 46.5%) and October (2,529; 32.3%). An overall incidence rate of dengue fever was reported at 28.1 cases per 10,000 individuals in Hajjah Governorate, with the highest in males (38.7), the age group of 15–29 years (40.0), in 2020 (16.3), and in Shars District (346.9). The rate of death related to dengue fever was 10 cases (0.13%), with the highest rates observed in males (0.13%), individuals under the age of 5 years, and in 2023 (0.49%). The majority of patients experienced fever (99.97%), joint pain (99.1%), headache (98.8%), and muscle pain (73.3%). Additionally, 17 patients (0.02%) displayed symptoms of dengue hemorrhagic fever. Conclusion These results indicate that the burden of dengue fever is increasing in the study area and poses a significant health challenge to Yemen in the near future if this complex health problem is not addressed. Furthermore, effective vector control, preventive education, targeted vaccination research, and epidemiological surveillance are imperative to address this complex health issue and to minimize its impact.