DENGUE: WHAT YOU MUST KNOW

The Olongapo City Government under the administration of Mayor James “Bong” Gordon, Jr. has intensified its year-round campaign against Dengue. In line with this, City Health Officer Dr. Arnie Tamayo is continuously providing information regarding the deadly disease.

‘’Dengue Fever is an infection caused by a virus. Occasionally, a patient suffering from dengue may develop bleeding. Common sites for bleeding are the nose, gums, and skin. The patient with dengue fever who develops bleeding has dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF),’’ said Dr. Tamayo.

According to Tamayo, Dengue Fever is transmitted to people by the bite of an Aedes Aegypti mosquito that is infected with the dengue virus. The mosquito becomes infected with dengue when it bites a person who has dengue fever or DHF. Dengue fever cannot be spread directly from person to person.

Dengue should be suspected when you have sudden onset of high fever, 39-40°C, accompanied with severe headache, pain behind the eyes, body aches, rashes on the skin and nausea or vomiting. The fever lasts for 5-7 days. In some patients, fever comes down on the third or fourth day but it recurs.

Like most viral diseases there is no specific cure for dengue fever. Antibiotics do not help. Paracetamol is the drug of choice to bring down fever and joint pain. Aspirin and Ibuprofen should be avoided since they can increase the risk of bleeding.

People who suffer from dengue fever have no risk of death but some of them develop Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever or Dengue Shock Syndrome. In some of these cases death can occur. With proper treatment, the patients with these conditions can recover fully. Proper treatment provided in time can save lives.

The main strategy in the prevention and control of dengue is source reduction, or prevention of breeding places. Every household can undertake simple measures to prevent existing water collections from becoming breeding places of Aedes Aegypti. House cleaning by all members of the community will ensure that no breeding places exists, preventing dengue from occurring.

For more information about Dengue, coordinate with the City Health Office at telephone numbers 224-8390 local 4147/4134