Dengue spreading alarmingly, measures needed to stop

This year the dengue outbreak has taken an alarming proportion. The infestation of this viral disease this year is much higher than the previous year. According to reports, four more dengue patients died in 24 hours till Monday morning, raising this year’s death toll from the disease to 37. The dengue caseload between six months from Jan 1-June 21 was just 372, but some 4,772 patients were admitted to different hospitals in the country with dengue from Jan 1 – Aug 22. Currently, a total of 1,112 dengue patients are now hospitalised across the country.
When the number of both cases and deaths from dengue are rising rapidly, there are visibly little efforts from the government to prevent and treat dengue patients. The hospitalised patients are being given some supportive treatment as there is no treatment for the disease. Besides, there is no effort now to kill mosquitoes in the neighbourhoods by Dhaka’s two city corporations.
In almost all diseases, there are two sides to deal with: one is curing the disease once it is there and the other is preventing it before a person is attacked with it. Since dengue is a vector-borne disease and Aedes species of mosquitoes are its carrier, it is very important to be cautious about the mosquito bite particularly during the monsoon. This is because this viral disease, along with chikungunya, is a seasonal one and Aedes mosquitoes breed during the rainy season that provides an ample environment for their breeding.
They lay eggs in accumulated clean water in such objects as plastic bottles, cans, tyres or any open container like them. Even water from such household appliances like refrigerators can be a place where Aedes can multiply. That is why it is very vital to know these facts in order to prevent dengue and campaign programmes for disseminating the information holds the key.
But since people in general in our country put less emphasis regarding the importance of developing awareness about a disease, they now need to be bombarded with the key dengue facts, unless the cautionary message is reached to all people.
It is also important that a person needs to understand how he can distinguish a common viral fever from the dengue. The symptoms of dengue include high fever with at least two of the complications: headache, pain behind eyes, nausea, vomiting, swollen glands, joint or muscle pain and rash. Once the disease is identified, it is always better the patient is hospitalised and given treatment there.