Transcript Dengue Fever is Dangerous - Woodshed Environment Coalition

Dengue Fever is
Dangerous
Mosquitoes are more than Pests
Why is the Threat of Dengue
Important to us?
• Dengue is important to us because it is a
serious illness; it is on the increase in the
Caribbean and the wider Americas.
• Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever can cause
DEATH.
Dangerous Dengue
is on the Increase
• Dengue is a dangerous illness, it can
cause much suffering, and in some cases
death. Over the past decade the
Caribbean region has been experiencing
increased cases of dengue.
• In 1980, the Caribbean Epidemiology
Centre reported 20 cases (people) with
Dengue Fever.
• By 1990, this had increased to 616.
Dangerous Dengue
is on the Increase continued…
• In re-defining the Caribbean region for our purposes as
English, French, Dutch and Spanish speaking countries
from the ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao) and
Guyana in the south to Cuba and everywhere in
between, we learn from the Pan American Health
Organization (PAHO) that in 1995, there were 12,830
Dengue Cases and 15 deaths.
• 2006 was a record-making year: Dengue cases reached
an unprecedented 32,764. 62 persons died.
• The next year, 2007, Dengue cases and deaths stepped
back slightly to 31,665 and 64 respectively.
• Last year, the number of cases nose-dived to 12,398.
The death toll remained relatively high, at 43. Now hold
on…
Dangerous Dengue
is on the Increase continued…
• Minus Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and
Cuba, which does not routinely report anyway,
the Dengue situation would still have reached a
peak of 23,578 cases in 2006.
• Dengue infections for this part of the region were
reduced by half in 2007 to 10,987 cases.
• That number went down another 50% between
January and December of 2008 for a total of
4,681 cases.
• There were 3 Dengue deaths in the Caribbean
in ’08, all in Trinidad, compared to 8 the year
before in just Guadeloupe and Martinique.
Dangerous Dengue
is on the Increase concluded
• On May 08 2009, PAHO records have it
that the Caribbean had 4,152 Dengue
cases, 43 of which progressed to Dengue
Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF), and 2 deaths.
• Add Hispanic Caribbean countries, Puerto
Rico and the Dominican Republic and you
get a further 1,827 Dengue cases, 55 DHF
and 7 deaths.
What is Dengue Fever ?
• Dengue Fever is an illness that results from
contracting the dengue virus from the bite of an
infected Aedes aegypti mosquito that is carrying
the virus.
• There are four types of dengue viruses. When a
person has had one type of dengue virus
infection once in his/her life, and later gets
infected with another type of dengue virus, that
person is in danger of getting Dengue
Hemorrhagic Fever. This fever can kill.
Signs and Symptoms of Dengue
Fever
• Abrupt onset of high fever
• Severe frontal headache
• Pain behind the eyes which worsens with eye
movement
• Muscle and joint pains
• Loss of sense of taste and appetite
• Measles-like rash over chest and upper limbs
• Nausea and vomiting
•Signs and Symptoms of Dengue
Hemorrhagic Fever
Symptoms similar to dengue fever plus:
• Frequent vomiting with or without blood
• Internal bleeding which can lead to shock
• Difficulty in breathing.
This fever can be difficult to treat, and in some
cases even with the best medical care people die.
Do not wait, see a doctor immediately. It is crucial
to quickly treat anyone with these complications
How is Dengue Spread ?
Dengue is spread when the female Aedes
aegypti mosquito bites an infected person,
it sucks up the blood with the virus and
passes this virus onto the next person she
bites for more blood. In this way the
mosquito becomes a carrier of the dengue
virus. We call these carriers of disease
and illness “vectors”
How can we prevent Dengue from
spreading?
There is no vaccine to protect us from
Dengue.
We must, therefore, protect ourselves by
avoiding the infection. The only way of
becoming infected is through the bite of
the mosquito that is carrying the virus.
We avoid dengue, when we can
avoid mosquito bites
The Aedes aegypti mosquito that carries the dengue virus,
likes to lay her eggs in water near or in our homes. She
enjoys living near to humans, her convenient blood
supply.
Anything that holds water can be a mosquito-breeding site.
Therefore, the best way of protecting your family and
community from dengue fever is to destroy all the places
in which the mosquito can lay eggs, breed more young
mosquitoes, increase their number, and so spread
dengue to more persons when they bite them for their
blood. Here are some actions you can take to rid your
home and community of mosquito breeding sites.
Mosquito proof your Cistern
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Screen Outlets (use 18” screening/mesh wire)
Screen Down spouts from the roof
Seal points of entry of pipe into cistern
Place small fish in your cisterns for these
eat the mosquito larvae (wrigglers)
Mosquito Proof Ground Level
Water Tanks
• Ensure the cover fits tightly; this prevents
adult mosquitoes from entering and laying
eggs.
• Repair broken manhole covers.
• Plug overflow holes – located under the
cover of Black Rotoplastic tanks.
Prevent Mosquito Breeding in
Flower and Plant Pots
• Change the water-pots holding your plants
or cut flowers at least once a week.
• Drain flower pots – flowerpots should have
holes for drainage
• Plants should ideally be grown in a mixture
of sand and water or...
• Use damp soil instead of water for growing
plants.
• Keep the saucers of flower pots dry
Prevent Mosquito Breeding inside
your House and Yard
• Throw out the water in your draining pan under
your refrigerator at least once per week
• Clean and scrub your dish drainers at least once
per week
• Toilet flush tanks should be inspected and
cleaned at least once per week and always kept
tightly covered
• Keep surroundings clean and get rid of
containers which may hold even the tiniest
amount of water e.g. tins, old tires, old pans,
bottles, etc.
Actions to take
• Punch holes in tins before disposal
• Get rid of derelict vehicles
• Ornamental pools and fountains should be
regularly drained and scrubbed,
chlorinated, and/or stocked with guppies
(fish).
• Swimming pools should be kept clean,
filtered, and in good condition.
Community Actions
• Community members can work together
to:
Keep the environment clean e.g. de-bush
empty lots
• Keep gullies/ghuts and drains clean
• Monitor and destroy any other mosquito
breeding places.
Personal Protection
People can further protect themselves from mosquito bites
by using:
• Mosquito coils
• electric vapor mats
• Mosquito repellent sprayed on skin
• Screen windows and doors
• sleep under mosquito proof bed nets
• Close windows late evenings and early mornings
• Wear protective clothing, such as long sleeve shirts, long
pants, and thick (bobby) socks during day time. It is also
advisable to avoid wearing dark colours.
Community & Government Partners in Dengue Prevention
Every government takes the responsibility for keeping public places
free of garbage and “junk” that can become mosquito-breeding
places. Your Government provides us with information on how we
can act to protect yourself, and assist us as much as possible.
But, no Department of Health, no government, can come into our
homes and workplaces and stop mosquitoes from biting us. Only we
can do this. The government cannot stop the mosquito from
breeding in our flowerpots or debris left strewn in our yards. Only we
can do this.
If we are serious and determined, we can ensure that mosquitoes have
no place to breed more mosquitoes to bite us and give us dengue
fever.
So Search and Destroy mosquito breeding places at home and work
THANK YOU
You’re welcome!