Preventing dengue

CEBU, Philippines - Epidemiologist Renan Cimafranca, of the Department of Health 7, has said that local government units in Central Visayas are negligent in sustaining cleanup drives in their respective communities as one way to minimize mosquito breeding sites. He laments the fact that local officials are very lax in sustaining cleanup drives – and act only when there’s already an outbreak.

Cimafranca points out that while mosquitoes cannot be eliminated, destroying their breeding sites would lessen the numbers of mosquitoes. The website www.webmd.com affirms that it helps keeping the mosquito population down, as there is no vaccine to prevent dengue fever. The best protection yet, the website says, is to prevent bites by infected mosquitoes – or by mosquitoes in general, since it is impossible to tell whether the mosquito is infected or not. Those living in areas where dengue cases have occurred should be particularly watchful.

The www.webmd.com suggests the following measures to keep away from dengue:

• Stay away from heavily populated residential areas.

• Use mosquito repellents, even indoors.

• When outdoors, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants tucked into socks.

• When indoors, use air conditioning if available.

• Make sure window and door screens are secure and free of holes. Use mosquito nets in sleeping areas that are not screened or air conditioned.

• Consult the doctor immediately when dengue symptoms are observed.

It helps as well, says webmd.com, to get rid of places where mosquitoes may breed. These include old tires, cans, or flower pots that collect rain. It is important to regularly change the water in outdoor bird baths and pets’ water dishes.

If someone in the home gets dengue fever, vigilant about efforts should be exerted to protect the other family members from mosquitoes. Mosquitoes that bite the infected family member could spread the infection to others in the home.

The dengue menace has long since passed from being a home problem into a community problem. The provincial board of Bulacan, in Luzon, has recently declared the whole province under a state of calamity due to the rising number of dengue cases. This hints of the problem having the tendency to cover entire populations and, thus, should not be taken lightly – either at the home or society levels.