Simone Biles Declines to Detail Belize Health Scare After Saying She Almost Died

Q: What hidden Belizean illness nearly killed Simone Biles, and are other tourists at risk?

No one outside Simone Biles’ circle knows what nearly killed her. She has said only that she was hospitalized during a recent trip and is “not ready to talk about it just yet,” so there is no confirmed evidence that the illness was contracted in Belize or that it was a specific “hidden Belizean” disease. What is clear is that Belize does carry real health risks for travelers, especially mosquito-borne disease. Dengue is the most plausible widely circulating threat: Belize reported thousands of cases in 2025 and more in 2026, and severe dengue can become life-threatening through bleeding, shock, or organ complications. Other regional risks include Zika and chikungunya, though no confirmed 2026 cases were cited in the material provided, and Chagas disease, which is endemic in parts of Latin America but is a less common explanation for an acute tourist medical emergency. So, are other tourists at risk? Yes, in a general travel-health sense, but not because of any confirmed Biles-linked outbreak. Visitors to Belize should take standard precautions seriously: use insect repellent, wear long sleeves and pants, avoid mosquito exposure during the day as well as at dusk, drink safe water, avoid contact with stray animals, and consider travel medical insurance with evacuation coverage. Anyone who develops fever, severe body aches, vomiting, abdominal pain, rash, or unusual weakness during or after travel should seek medical care quickly and mention recent travel to Belize.

Q: Was Biles' near-death experience caused by the 'silent killer' Chagas disease or severe dengue fever?

No. There is no confirmed evidence that Simone Biles’ near-death medical emergency in Belize was caused by either Chagas disease or severe dengue fever. What is publicly known is limited to Biles’ own account: she said she was hospitalized, “almost died,” and is “not ready to talk about it just yet.” Neither she nor her representatives have identified the illness, and the available reporting does not cite any doctor, hospital, or official source linking her case to Chagas or dengue. The speculation arises because both diseases are known risks in Belize. Dengue is the more plausible of the two from a short-term travel perspective because it is active in Belize, can escalate quickly, and can become life-threatening within days through bleeding, shock, or organ complications. Chagas disease is also present in Belize, but it more often causes mild or unnoticed early symptoms and is better known for serious complications that develop over years, though acute severe cases can occur. Even so, the current evidence does not support naming either disease as the cause of Biles’ crisis. At this stage, the accurate answer is that the cause remains undisclosed. Any claim that it was definitely Chagas disease or severe dengue fever would go beyond the facts now on the record.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 16

Simone Biles said on Instagram she is "not ready to talk about it just yet" when asked about the health crisis that hospitalized her during a trip to Belize.
Earlier this month, Biles posted a photo showing what appeared to be a hospital wristband and wrote that "almost dying wasn't on my bingo card this week," calling it one of the scariest experiences of her life.
Biles said she has been resting in bed since the episode and noted her husband, Indianapolis Colts safety Jonathan Owens, was away in Indianapolis for practices when it happened.
The 4-time Olympic gold medalist has offered no medical details, leaving the cause of the Belize hospitalization unclear.