Dengue fever is a year-round and nationwide risk in Pakistan. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH) Authorities, 3,442 dengue fever cases in Pakistan in 2017, more than 3,200 in 2018, almost 24,547 in 2019, and 3,442 cases in 2020. The situation has been worst and devastating in this year, 2021, as well. This year, since October, dengue’s situation has not been very well. Pakistan has been facing a continuous rise in dengue fever cases, leading to pressure on public and private hospitals. Let’s have a through look on dengue fever, its causes, and precautions.
What is Dengue Fever?
Dengue fever is a viral infection that is carried by the Aedes mosquito. Often, dengue is also known as the break-bone fever because it affects the muscles and bones of the patient severely, causing a pain that feels almost like the breaking of bones. This disease affects people in many countries across the world, especially in South-East Asia, India, China, Africa, and Central America.
Causes of Dengue Fever:
Dengue fever is caused by one of the four viruses; DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, or DEN-4. A patient can only be infected once by a single type of virus. However, they can get infected by at least two if not all four at once. The transmission of the dengue virus takes place through an infected Aedes mosquito. This infection cannot spread from person to person. It only spreads when an Aedes mosquito bites an infected person and then bites someone else.
Symptoms of dengue fever:
The symptoms of dengue fever that a person shows depend on the age of the person. However, usually, the symptoms start with a high fever within 4-7 days of being bitten by an infected mosquito. The common symptoms of classic dengue include; severe joint and muscle pain, high fever up to 105 F, pain behind the eyes, severe headaches, the entire body gets covered in red rashes, in some cases, the disease may be mild, and these symptoms may not show up in a patient at all.
How to prevent Dengue?
The best way to avoid dengue is to actively take steps to avoid mosquito bites. This includes wearing light-colored clothes that are loose and cover a maximum part of your body. Another fact is that the Aedes mosquito bites during the daytime and the late afternoons before it gets dark. Some other precautions that you can take to prevent dengue include:
- Use insect repellents
- Make sure water is not stagnating in your area
- Wear full-sleeved clothes
- Keep your windows closed to prevent mosquitoes from entering
- Inspect your surroundings regularly for areas with stagnating water
This is a high hope that this blog will be a great assistance to be protected from dengue fever. Have a healthy and sound life everyone!
