ENS
Bangalore, Jul 1: After chikungunya and cholera, it is dengue that comes calling on the city. "Every week we record two to three cases of dengue, an indication that there is an outbreak of the disease in the city," Dr PP Maiya, Head of the Department of Pediatrics, MS Ramaiya Hospital, told this website's newspaper. According to sources in the BBMP Referral Hospital at Srirampuram, out of 142 cases of high fever, headache and vomiting reported in the last one week, 12 have been considered cases of dengue. Dengue is transmitted by mosquitos: the Aedes aegypti and the Aedes albopictus mosquitos are carriers of the dengue virus.
Suggesting measures to be taken in precaution, Dr Prabhakar, Head of the Department, Medicines, Bowring Hospital, says, "Accumulation of water should be avoided, to prevent the breeding of mosquitos; in case of high fever and joint pain, patients must visit the doctor at the earliest. Dengue Haemorrhagic fever should be diagnosed and controlled early, it becomes difficult to treat at a later stage."
Symptoms
- High fever - Splitting Headache - Vomiting - Muscle Pain - Low blood pressure - Massive bleeding - Haemorrhagic manifestation - Red spots that turn black and blue
Prevention and control
- Use insect repellent on exposed skin surface when outdoors to avoid mosqito bites
- Wear long sleeved shirts and pants
- Proper solid waste disposal and water storage practice to prevent breeding of mosquitoes
- Environment management and chemical methods should be used by civic authorities