Dengue Prevention Checklist

Dengue Prevention Checklist!

Dengue fever is a flu kind of illness spread by mosquito bites. This is also widely known as 'Break bone fever' due to the severe joint pain caused during the attack. Dengue can be diagnosed by blood test. The infected person as such cannot spread the infection but can be a source to spread it.

Dengue is spread by the bite of an 'Ades' Mosquito. This mosquito bites the infected person and then bites someone else who is not affected thus transmitting the infection. These mosquitoes are active during the day time and spread the infection during day time. These mosquitoes live among human beings and breed in discarded tyres, flower pots, water stores etc.

To prevent the spread of dengue fever, you must first prevent the breeding the Aedes mosquito. It prefers to breed in clean, stagnant water easily found in our homes. You can get rid of the Aedes mosquito by frequently checking and removing stagnant water in your premises.

 The guidelines below will give you an overview of how you can prevent the Aedes mosquito from breeding.

·       Turn pails and watering cans over and store them under shelter

·       Remove water in plant pot plates. Clean and scrub the plate thoroughly to remove mosquito eggs. Avoid the use of plant pot plates, if possible

·       Loosen soil from potted plants to prevent the accumulation of stagnant water on the surface of the hardened soil

·       Avoid placing potted plants and other paraphernalia over the scupper drains

·       No tray or receptacles should be placed beneath and or/ on top of any air-conditioning unit so as not to create a condition favourable for mosquito breeding

·       Change water in flower vases. Clean and scrub the inner sides of vases. Wash roots of flowers and plants thoroughly as mosquito eggs can stick to them easily

·       Clear fallen leaves and stagnant water in your scupper drains and garden. These leaves could collect water or cause blockages to the drains, thus resulting in the buildup of stagnant water

·       Clear any stagnant water in your air cooler unit