Dengue Fever

• Recently in the past week, Chandigarh has recorded more than 41 cases of dengue, with cases of malaria and influenza also being reported daily now.
• Fumigation, protection against mosquitoes, clean surroundings and ensuring that there is no stagnant water are some of the important measures to be taken, along with taking advice from a medical practitioner in case of any symptoms are the steps taken by the govt. to protect the general public.

About Dengue Fever:

• Dengue fever is a tropical disease that is borne by mosquitoes.
• It is caused by the dengue virus. Dengue virus (DEN) is a small single-stranded RNA virus comprising four distinct serotypes. The symptoms of the disease will begin anywhere between three and fourteen days after the initial infection.
• Dengue is the most rapidly spreading mosquito-borne viral disease in the world.
• According to the data of the World Health Organisation (WHO), an estimated 50 million dengue infections occur annually and approximately 2.5 billion people live in dengue-endemic countries.
• Dengue inflicts significant health, economic and social burden on the populations of endemic areas.
• Dengue afflicts all levels of society, but the burden may be higher among the poorest who grow up in communities with an inadequate water supply and solid waste infrastructure, and where conditions are most favourable for multiplication of the main vector, Aedes aegypti.