What You Need to Know about

Dengue Fever
article prepared by Judith Gregor

 

WHAT IS DENGUE FEVER

Dengue (pronounced den’gee) is a viral disease transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. 

Symptoms include: 

  • High fever
  • Fevers, headaches
  • Body and joint pains
  • Vomiting eye pain
  • Rash

Consult your physician if you develop these symptoms

PREVENTION

Protect yourself and your family from Dengue Fever. There is no cure. You can only prevent it by:

Controlling the mosquitoes:

  • Remove, repair, or empty anything that collects rainwater such as:

cans, bottles, buckets, used tires, flower pots, bromeliad plants, pineapple lilies, clogged roof gutters, hollow bamboo or tree stumps, uncapped hollow tile walls, uncapped fence pipes, abandoned cars, and boats.

  • Check all screen doors and windows and repair as necessary.
  • Empty and clean pet and stock watering containers at least once a week.
  • Empty and clean flower vases at least once a week.
  • Spray the surface of breeding areas (Fish ponds, unused swimming pools, or other large containers) with 4 – 6 ozs liquid dish detergent in a gallon of water. Repeat every 2 – 3 days.
  • Make sure your water catchment tank is mosquito-proof.
  • Eliminate adult mosquitoes indoors with aerosol insecticides labeled for flying insects.

  Protecting  yourself

  • Use mosquito repellant containing “deet” on exposed skin
  • Dress protectively by wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants, especially during the early morning hours after daybreak and late afternoon before dark, when Aedes mosquitoes are most active.
  • Keep unscreened windows and doors closed.
  • Use aerosol insecticides labeled for flying insects to eliminate indoor mosquitoes.
  • Remember, while mosquito bites may not hurt, they can make you very sick.

WHO TO REACH

For questions, call your health care provider or

The Hawai’I State Department of Health

  • Oahu: 586-8352
  • Big Island: 933-0912
  • Maui, Molokai, or Lanai: 984-8200
  • Kauai: 241-3387

Or Visit 

http://www.hawaii.gov/doh/dengue

 

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