DENGUE Fever Awareness Month is observed in June every year. This month is indeed the best time to remind the public about dengue fever because it is the onset of the rainy season, when outbreaks of the disease usually occur. Dengue fever, a mosquitoborne disease that is endemic in the Philippines affects thousands of Filipinos, mostly children, and accounts for scores of deaths every year. Last year, more than 10,000 dengue fever patients were admitted in government hospitals all over the country. This figure will surely be equaled, if not surpassed this year, unless the public observes preventive measures against the disease.
Dengue fever is caused by a virus that is transmitted to humans by the Aedes mosquito, a small black mosquito with white dots on its back and head and white stripes on its legs, which bites during the day. This mosquito breeds in every possible place where there is stagnant water.
The signs and symptoms of dengue fever, which appear three to 15 days after the bite of an ineffective mosquito, include fever that lasts five to seven days, headache, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, joint and muscle pains, and a skin rash. Usually, the disease is a mild, self-limiting illness, but the severe form of the illness, known as dengue hemorrhagic fever or H-fever, which is characterized by bleeding that usually involves the gastrointestinal tract, skin, and nervous system, is life-threatening.
The best way to prevent the spread of dengue fever is by eliminating all possible breeding places of its mosquito vector. Within their neighborhood, people must fill potholes; cover water containers and septic tanks; not allow empty cans, soft drink bottles, old tires, etc. to accumulate water; ensure that drains and gutters are not clogged and that water flows freely in sewage lines; and dispose of garbage properly and regularly.
Additionally, people should protect themselves against the Aedes mosquito by: Screening their house or using mosquito nets, mosquito repellants, and/or mosquito coils and mats; and isolating persons with dengue fever in a screened room for at least five days from the onset of the symptoms.
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