As the world celebrates National Dengue Day on Thursday, physicians across Goa highlight the cause and the precautionary measure to be taken during a dengue outbreak. This awareness was created at a programme held at Urban Primary Health Centre, Margao. The theme for the National Dengue Day programme was ‘To connect with community to control dengue.’ This programme gave insights of how mosquito breeding occurs and places in that are likely to be affected by mosquitoes.
During the programme, Dr Kalpana Mahatme spoke about how water accumulation takes place without the knowledge of people living in their area. She emphasized that the need of community help as they have received help not only from the health department but also from local bodies, panchayat, agriculture department and so on.
“Dengue mosquitoes are day-biters and they breed in and around the house. We need the help of the community to help us stop the breeding. If the community helps us then 90% of the work is done. This will happen if each one us takes the responsibility of cleaning their house, garden and their vicinity then this disease can be curbed,” said Dr Mahatme.
The programme also talked about how empty bottles, cups, coconut shells, open buckets, potholes, etc. can become great breeding places for mosquitoes. It is the duty of every person as a society member to clean their surroundings.
Once bitten by an Aedes mosquito, early symptoms involve, high fever, severe headache, nausea, intense joint and muscle pain, swollen glands, pain behind the eyes, red spots and rashes on the skin and vomiting. Whereas, abdomen pain, frequent vomiting, throwing up blood or blood in your poop, nose or gum bleeding and extreme tiredness, restlessness or irritability are the warning signs of severe dengue fever. If you experience these symptoms it is advisable to go to the nearest hospital as soon as possible.