Dengue fever is presently
spreading in our country with
thousands of children falling sick and some dying because of a deadly
mosquito. It is very important to know what Dengue fever is and how we can protect ourselves and our families from this tiny but dangerous
mosquito.
How is it caused?
Dengue fever is caused by a virus spread by the bite of an infected
mosquito. The two types of
mosquitoes that carry the virus are Aedes aegypti and Aedes
albopictus.
When these mosquitos bite an infected person and then bite another person the virus is spread.These mosquito species live mostly in the tropical regions of the world and Dengue cases are high in tropical
countries.
No. of Dengue cases in Sri Lanka, from January to August : 24,520.
No. of deaths: 177
Mosquito biting time :
Mornings and evenings.
Highest biting intensity is about two hours after sunrise and before
sunset.
Symptoms
- High fever
- Headache
- Rash
- Muscle and joint pains
- Vomiting
DHF
- Most patients recover from Dengue fever in about 3-4 days but some may get Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever (DHF) which can even cause death.
- DHF is the dangerous stage of Dengue fever. One suffering from this would have normal symptoms of a Dengue fever patient as well as a rash, bleeding from nose or gums, brown or black vomit or faeces (stools), severe stomach pain, coldness of body,
paleness of body, restlessness and drowsiness. These patients should be taken to a hospital immediately.
- Although the fever may drop, it is very important to protect yourself from mosquito bites as one can get the fever several times.
Treatment
- Consult a qualified doctor
- A lot of rest
- Drink plenty of fluids
(water, fruit juice)
- Nutritious diet
- Do not go to school or work with dengue fever
Protection
There is no way to tell if a
mosquito is carrying the dengue virus. Therefore, people must
protect themselves from all
mosquito bites.
- Wear clothes to cover as much of your body as
possible,
- Use mosquito nets,
- Use mosquito repellents
and Citronella oil
Always check whether your home and school are giving mosquitoes a chance to breed. While playing, take some time to check whether your
garden is clean.
Tell your friends the importance of preventing mosquito breeding. You can save many lives by cleaning your own environment.
Prevention
- We must act as soldiers in the
battle against mosquitoes by
keeping our environment clean.
There is no vaccine or medicine to
cure or prevent Dengue fever therefore it is very important to destroy breeding places.
- Dengue mosquitoes breed in
containers where clean water is
collected. These containers lie in and around homes and schools.
- Therefore we must crush and
bury empty tins, coconut shells
and earthen ware.
- Add salt to the water in flower
vases and ant traps.
- Change water frequently.
- Avoid throwing empty ice-cream and yoghurt cups, empty king
coconut shells and sili sili bags
(Polythene) out in the garden
and on the roadside as mosquitoes
find them cozy homes after rains.
- Help your parents or elders at
home to remove leaves and debris
blocking drains and clean gutters.
- Tyres on roof tops and in gardens
should be filled with sand to
prevent collecting water.
- Containers used to collect water
should be well covered and water
kept for dogs, birds etc., should be
changed frequently.
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