Creating awareness is the only effective way of preventing fatal dengue fever and the people should remain alert and keep clean their surroundings to stop breeding of aedes mosquitoes, said experts.
“Dengue can be prevented if people remain aware about it from the beginning of the monsoon, the peak breeding season of aedes mosquitoes which transmit dengue virus into human body,” former Chairman of Medicine Department at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMM) Professor Dr ABM Abdullah told media.
“To remain safe from dengue, at first we will have to remain alert so that aedes mosquitoes cannot be bred. Surroundings of homesteads should be kept clean immediately after rains,” said the professor of medicine.
He said people must take steps to stop storing of water in and around their houses.
Peak biting periods of aedes mosquitoes are early in the morning and in the evening before the dusk but the mosquitoes can bite even in bright light at night, he added.
Abdullah suggested using mosquito net to remain safe from bite of aedes mosquitoes.
“If possible, net can be used at doors and windows. Mosquito repellent spray, lotion, cream can be used. Children should wear trousers instead of short pants,” he suggested.
If anyone gets fever, he or she should take rest properly and have a lot of liquid food, he said.
“The main treatment of dengue fever is to drink plenty of waters, fluids and liquid foods. Everybody should be careful about deficiency of water in body by any means,” he said.
Only ‘paracetamol’ should be taken to control fever and reduce joint pains, he said, adding, “There is no role of antibiotic in treating dengue”.
Director of the Directorate General of Health Services Professor Dr Sania Tahmina said dengue patients should take complete rest and drink plenty of liquid including coconut water, lemon juice, fruits juice and oral saline.
She said if dengue patients have liver, heart or kidney ailments, they must consult with physicians before taking paracetamol.
According to experts, the symptoms of dengue fever are headaches, pain behind eyes, vomiting, swollen glands, joints, bones or muscle pains and rash.
Aedes mosquito-borne disease dengue was first documented in Bangladesh in 2000. It claimed 93 lives in that year. The mortality rate in dengue fever started reducing three years after 2000 and it came down to zero level few years later.
But, the year of 2018 witnessed a massive outbreak of dengue as around 10,000 people were affected and 26 people died of dengue.
