Dengue prevention tips
 

Where heavy rainfall can mean fun, freshness and festivity; it can also turn into havoc if proper facilitation and preventive measures are not taken into account. Same has happened in Pakistan where dengue fever has hit the streets yet again claiming hundreds of innocent lives badly disturbing the normal course of life. As the saying goes “stitch in time saves nine, here are some preventive measures that everybody should follow to avoid the beat down by Aedes mosquitoes that cause dengue.

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1. Remove sources of stagnant water.
Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water hence it is utterly important to not let the water accumulate. Make sure to:
Turn pails and watering cans over and store them under shelter
Remove water in plant pot plates.
Clean and scrub the plate thoroughly to remove mosquito eggs. Avoid the use of plant pot plates, if possible.
Cover overhead tank to prevent access to mosquitoes.
2. Avoid mosquito bites (by using mosquito repellents containing DEET, picaridin (KBR3023) or oil of lemon eucalyptus). Get your house and surroundings fumigated for pest control.
3. Prevent mosquito entry by keeping doors closed and windows screened.
If your door and window screens have holes, there’s no better time to have them repaired.
4. Wear protective clothing like long-sleeved shirts, long pants, socks and shoes when outdoors.
5. Aedes mosquitoes usually bite during the day; therefore, special precautions should be taken during early morning hours before day break and in the late afternoon before dark.
6. Keep your house and surroundings clean. Make sure all the gutters are properly cleaned and covered.
7. There is no commercially available vaccine for dengue fever hence if symptoms for dengue occur such as:
• High-grade fever.
• Severe headache.
• Severe joint and muscle pain.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Skin rash – The rash may appear over most of the body 3 to 4 days after fever.
• Bleeding from the nose, gums or under the skin, causing purplish bruises.

Make sure to contact your doctor immediately.
Remember that a safe home is a happy home. Keep yourself and the others around you safe and educate them about dengue prevention tips by sharing these tips.