Dengue Fever Awareness

We have had a rough 2020, and 2021 doesn't seem to be any less stressful. While dealing with the pandemic, it is important to remember that the pandemic has not caused other illnesses to recede. We are still vulnerable to all the other diseases out there, and for us, Chennaiities, Dengue tops the list.

How is Dengue caused?

The Aedes mosquitoes cause dengue fever. When a mosquito bites a person infected with a dengue virus, the virus enters the mosquito. Then, when the infected mosquito bites another person, the virus enters that person's bloodstream and causes an infection.



The Dengue mosquito, or the Aedes aegypti, is about 4-7 meters long. It has white markings on its legs and the upper surface of its body. The female mosquito has a shorter antenna, and the male has a longer one. It is the female mosquito that is dangerous. Be on the look-out for mosquitoes with white markings and short antennae. These are most active during the day.

They breed in any place with stagnant water and therefore flourish in cities and city suburbs where they can find stagnant water in discarded tyres, empty flower pots, coconut shells, etc.

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Symptoms of Dengue

It is common for an infected person to manifest symptoms between 3-14 days. It usually starts with a fever. Within 2-5 days, there could be a rash and blood in stools. In young women, menstrual bleeding may be heavy. There is usually throat and nose chest congestion between the third and seventh day. Other symptoms include:

· Nausea
· Vomiting
· Rash
· Aches and pains
· Eye pain, typically behind the eyes
· Bone pain
· Fever

Symptoms of Dengue typically last 2–7 days. Most people will recover after about a week.