Guadeloupe boy's death suspected from dengue

The recent death of a 9-year-old boy in Guadeloupe could have been caused by dengue, health officials said Wednesday.

Test results are pending, but it could be the island's first dengue-related death, said Alain Parodi, director of Guadeloupe's health department. The boy was taken to a hospital Monday, where he died from cardiac arrest after showing symptoms of hemorrhagic dengue, he said.

Health officials visited the boy's home because they feared for the health of his parents and his eight brothers and sisters, Parodi said. None of them showed symptoms, he said.

Guadeloupe declared a dengue epidemic last month, and is investigating almost 1,000 suspected cases, Parodi said.

The Caribbean and Latin America is suffering one of the worst dengue outbreaks in decades. The illness, known as "bonebreak fever," causes joint pain, flu-like symptoms and in some cases, deadly hemorrhaging.