Thanks to the hot & humid weather conditions, Breakbone fever is spreading like wildfire. No Vaccines. What is our best bet? Plain old PREVENTION.
One simplest step to prevent Dengue is to Fight the Bite. Only personal protection and the environmental management of mosquitoes can aid in preventing this illness.
Personal Protection
Avoid visiting areas prone to mosquitoes. If you will be in an areas with many mosquitoes, consider using the following clothing tips.- Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
- Wear socks and tuck your pants into socks.
- Wear light-colored clothing, since mosquitoes are more attracted to darker colors.
- Apply mosquito repellent to your clothing, shoes.
- You can also apply mosquito repellant on your skin during day/night/while going out of the house.
Environmental Management
- Prevent mosquito breeding inside and outside your home. Spray insecticide in dark corners in your home.
- Get rid of stagnant water. Never let wet waste accumulate in your home.
- Shut all the doors and windows and light camphor in a room and let the smoke stay for about fifteen to twenty minutes.
- Grow basil shrubs near your windows. Basil's natural insecticidal properties keep mosquitoes away.
- Using Lavender oil as a natural room freshener to keep mosquitoes at bay.
Facts about Dengue
Dengue is spread by the vector Aedes aegypti mosquito and can be caused by one of the 4 dengue viruses. Once you get infected with the dengue virus, you develop resistance to it and become immuned to it for the rest of your life.But here's the catch - You can still be infected by the 3 other viruses. There's also the possiblity to get infected by all 4 viruses in your lifetime. Watta fun!
High fever, headaches, pain behind the eyes, joint pain, skin rash, fatigue, nausea and vomiting are some symptoms of dengue. These symptoms may start appearing within 3-4 days of the virus entering your body and stay for about a minimum of 10 days.
If you think you might have dengue fever, you should rest, drink plenty of fluids, and get your blood tested by your doctor. All preventive measures can help you control mosquitoes effectively but then today mosquitoes are here, there and everywhere around us.