As her trip entered its second week, Cara Pyper felt a sudden sense of unease. High fever, headache and severe muscle pain kept her bedridden. Initially attributing her condition to jet lag or too much drinking, the young woman persisted in continuing her tourist visits, explains The Mirror. A decision she bitterly regrets today. It was her travel companion, Abbi Whorriskey, who raised the alarm. Witnessing her friend’s strange actions in the middle of the night, Abbi filmed the scene, fearing a much deeper evil than a simple infection.. In the images, Cara Pyper can be seen gesticulating violently in her sleep, as if trying to shoo away invisible insects. “She moved in her sleep like never before, it was really scary“, confided Abbi, explaining that she considered calling a priest for a moment, as her friend’s behavior disconcerted her.
Once back on her feet, Cara discovered the video and felt a mixture of fear and incomprehension. “I don’t know if I was hallucinating or trying to shoo away flies in my dreambut I had never moved like that in my sleep” she said.
Dengue: a sneaky virus with many faces
Fortunately, the riddle was eventually solved. The diagnosis is made: dengue. This mosquito-borne viral disease is common in many tropical areas, including Southeast Asia. While most cases result in annoying but bearable flu symptoms,
dengue can sometimes take a more severe formas was the case for Cara.
Her insistence on continuing her visits despite the illness further weakened her. “I needed to sleep 24 hours a day, but I was in Bali and wanted to force myself to go to the monkey forest” she conceded. Fortunately, her condition improved after a few days of forced rest.
“I think dengue fever is on the rise right now”
Now recovered, Cara Pyper wants to warn other travelers against this sneaky virus. “I think dengue fever is booming right now. And it’s not limited to Bali, you can catch it in many countries“, underlines the young woman.
She stresses the importance of preventive measures: long clothing, effective repellents and vigilance against mosquito bites. In case of suspicious symptoms, complete rest and sufficient hydration are essential. Cara also recommends seeing a doctor promptly to get a diagnosis and avoiding taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, aspirin) that can worsen bleeding, a risk associated with dengue fever. Thanks to her misadventure and the awareness she gained from it, Cara Pyper hopes to contribute to better information for travelers and save others from having to go through such a frightening experience.
