• Source:JND
Add as a preferred

Dengue Cases Rise In Delhi: With the ongoing monsoon in different parts of the country, there has been a rise in the cases of dengue in the National Capital. According to the latest report by Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the tally of dengue cases in Delhi was at 243 as of July 28. Due to flooding in parts of the country, the risk of dengue has increased. Dengue is a viral infection that spreads from mosquitoes to people and the most common symptoms are high fever, headache, body aches, nausea and rash.

Symptoms of Dengue

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the severe symptoms of dengue often come after the fever has gone away and include severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, rapid breathing, bleeding gums or nose, fatigue, restlessness, blood in vomit or stool, being very thirsty, pale and cold skin and feeling weak.

How To Prevent Dengue?

Prevention is better than cure. Dr Monalisa Sahu, Consultant Infectious Diseases, Yashoda Hospitals Hyderabad says that along with increased breeding sites, poor vector control measures, and poor use of personal protective measures from mosquito bites have caused the surge in the incidence of dengue.

1. Hygiene

Hygiene plays a significant role in preventing vector-borne diseases. Keep your surroundings clean and dry. Do not store water in different places in your house as it will provide the mosquitoes with a place to breed in.

2. Water Storage

According to Dr Sahu, people should be more vigilant about the mosquitoes breeding in their surroundings. Water should not be allowed to accumulate in stored containers like tyres, coconut shells, earthen pots and coolers, and should be disposed of or insecticides should be applied on the water storage units.

3. Personal Protection

When it comes to the prevention of dengue, personal protection has a significant role. Dr Sahu suggests that one should use repellents and coils, wear full sleeves clothes to cover exposed skin and sleep inside mosquito nets to prevent dengue.

4. Control Mosquitoes Inside And Outside Your Home

To prevent the spread of dengue, use screens on windows and doors of your house and repair holes in screens to keep mosquitoes outside. Dr Sahu says that once a week, empty and scrub, turn over, cover, or throw out items that hold water, such as tires, buckets, planters, toys, pools, birdbaths, flowerpots, or trash containers.

5. Awareness

Awareness is an important step in preventing any fatal disease. One should be aware of the causes, symptoms, signs, risk factors, prevention methods and treatment of the disease. According to Dr Sahu, organising health education programmes about dengue disease to increase awareness about the early and warning signs of dengue in the masses is very essential and sensitising the community on the same can prove very useful in early diagnosis as well as preventing cases of severe dengue.

FAQ