Dengue Awareness

Dengue is a well known viral illness spread by the Aedes mosquito, the Aedes mosquito spreads
dengue by injecting the RNA virus into the host body. The RNA virus is part of the family Flavivirdea.
Despite Dengue’s reputation as a deadly illness it isn’t necessary a deadly from the 271,480 cases of
dengue currently recorded this year there were only about 1000 deaths that occurred. While dengue
remained fairly popular throughout the year especially the controversies and outbreaks surrounding it
there is not much known about the illness and its symptoms let alone how it affects its body. Most
people think dengue symptoms are just a severe rash, high fever and severe headaches but there are
more symptoms than just that.

The Aedes mosquito spreads the Dengue virus into the host body, when bitten, the host body
responds with an initial progression of the illness. The more progression of the illness, the more severe
clinical symptoms appear. So far there have been 271,480 cases of dengue recorded, throughout
January to August, which is more than double the cases of 2018’s and 98% more than the same period
last year, among those cases came more than 1,000 deaths. A huge percentage of those cases came
from children. Children are one of the most vulnerable victims when it comes to the illness because if
they get infected twice the child is at high risk of death. “To avoid this parents have to be diligent and
should not wait for children to show severe symptoms”- Galappaththy said.

The situation might lift the ban towards the dengue vaccine entirely. Because of the health
crisis, they already allowed the private health sectors to use the once banned vaccine. Even if the
vaccine would be released, there is a chance that some parents will refuse their children to get
vaccinated by it, considering that some parents refused to vaccinate their children the measles vaccine
because of the fear that it would turn out like the dengue vaccine even if there was already a spreading
measles outbreak.

To avoid the illness or let it escalate any further, try looking out for these symptoms: sudden high
fever, a severe headache, severe joint and muscle pain, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, skin rash, and mild
bleeding such as nosebleeds. To avoid the illness, try fogging your house, wear long sleeved shirts and
pants leggings etc; try to stay out of rural areas with mosquitoes as much as possible, and use
mosquitoes repellents