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Dengue Fever: Know the Facts - Symptoms and Prevention

Image of Dengue Virus at molecular level

Hi guys! We've decided to make the Dengue virus our main focus on this blog. So you will see more information on this dreaded disease as long as it is a threat to our beautiful island. Below is information gathered from the Jamaica Information Service website (www.jis.gov.jm). Please note the words in brackets (...) are our personal additions to the text to help clarify some points. Please read this post carefully and pass on the information to your friends and family.


Dengue Fever is caused by the Flavivirus, and is prevalent in tropical and subtropical parts of the world. During an outbreak - when there are more than 96 reported local cases - it is important to be informed about the disease's transmission, so we want to give you the facts today.

Transmission
The disease is carried by the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes (yes, the same type that can transmit the Chikungunya virus and Zika virus) and transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female mosquitoes.

Symptoms
Dengue fever manifests in one (1) of two (2) forms:


Mild form:
  1. A fever of 40 degrees Celsius or higher
  2. Headache
  3. Muscle, bone, and joint pain
  4. Nausea
  5. Pain behind the eyes  
  6. Rash
  7. Swollen glands
  8. Vomiting
Severe form:

The more severe version is called Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever. It can cause hemorrhaging (yes it affects brain function, please see note in red at end of post), a sudden drop in blood pressure, and death.

Prevention
The Ministry of Health has information available to help Jamaicans combat the disease and limit its spread. Here are some tips:
  • Use a mosquito repellent containing DEET on your skin and clothing
  • Sleep under a mosquito net
  • Get treatment immediately if symptoms appear to prevent the progression of the disease (and to also avoid passing it on to love ones).
  • Keep stored water covered
  • Eliminate mosquito breeding sites (water catchments around the yard, or tall grassy areas around your home)
  • Close windows before nightfall
  • Open windows during fogging
If you need more information peeps, you can contact the Ministry of Health at: 10-16 Grenada Way, Kingston 5 or call these numbers: (876) 633-8172, (876) 633-7771, (876) 633-8172. Visit their website here: www.moh.gov.jm; email: pr@moh.gov.jm





______________________________
References:
Jamaica Information Service,  Get the Facts - Dengue Fever, https://jis.gov.jm/information/get-the-facts/get-the-facts-dengue-fever

 Haemorrhaging - A brain hemorrhage is a type of stroke. It's caused by an artery in the brain bursting and causing localized bleeding in the surrounding tissues. ... (from WebMD - Brain Hemorrhage: Causes, Symptoms, Treatmentshttps://www.webmd.com/brain/brain-hemorrhage-bleeding-causes-symptoms-treatments)

Photos/Images:
Dengue Virus image courtesy of 123 Photos
Symptoms Chart courtesy of Disabled World - https://www.disabled-world.com/health/dengue.php
Aedes Aegypti image - Aedes_aegypti.jpg from Wikipedia



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