Help Fight Against Dengue

Dengue Fever

There has been significant increase in dengue fever cases over the past few weeks. Ministry of Health has been stepping up various preventions to control this spread. As parents, we also begin to worry about our kids. So what can we do to help prevent this? Here are some information.

Dengue Fever is caused by infection with a dengue virus. Dengue fever is a mosquito borne disease caused by dengue virus which is usually self limiting in most cases. There are four serotypes of dengue virus (DENV1-4) circulating in the world. For the latest information on active dengue clusters, please refer to http://www.dengue.gov.sg/subject.asp?id=74.

How Dengue Spreads

Fact 1 : It is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito (Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus).
Fact 2 : Dengue fever is not contagious and does not spread directly from person to person.
Fact 3 : A mosquito is infected when it takes a blood meal from a dengue-infected person and later transmits the virus to other people they bite.

Symptoms

Dengue Fever usually develops within 4 to 7 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Symptoms include:

• Sudden onset of fever for 2 to 7 days
• Severe headache with retro-orbital (behind the eye) pain
• Joint and muscle pain
• Skin rashes
• Nausea and vomiting
• Bleeding from the nose or gums or easy bruising in the skin

Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever/Dengue Shock Syndrome is a severe form of dengue fever that could result in death.

What To Do If You Have Dengue

Please seek immediate medical attention if you suspect you may have dengue.

There is no specific treatment for dengue or dengue haemorrhagic fever. There is also no vaccine currently available to prevent dengue.

Treatment for dengue is supportive. In severe cases, you may require hospitalisation and aggressive emergency treatment with fluid and electrolyte replacement or blood transfusions.

Help Fight Against Dengue

The best way to prevent dengue fever is by taking precautions to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes which include:

• Using a mosquito repellent containing DEET, or oil of lemon eucalyptus
• Dressing in protective clothing during the day-long-sleeved shirts, long pants, socks, and shoes especially in early morning hours before day break and in late afternoon after dark.
• Keeping unscreened windows and doors closed
• Getting rid of areas where mosquitoes breed, such as standing water in flower pots, containers, and bamboo poles.