Dengue in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh Outbreak:
Recently, multiple cases of dengue have been reported in North India. Most cases are concentrated in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, with both states seeing the worst dengue numbers in years. Now, Rajasthan is also getting affected by an increased number of Dengue cases.
The number of cases in Delhi, currently at 96, is the highest since 2017 and the rise is not stopping anytime soon. The state governments in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh must focus on stopping it from becoming a full-scale outbreak.
In this article, we will tell you all about dengue: What is it, how is it caused, the complications associated with it, and how it can be treated. Do read this article to learn how you can stay safe from dengue.
What is Dengue?
Dengue is a viral infection that is transmitted from mosquitoes. It is transmitted in humans through a mosquito bite. The mosquitoes that transmit the virus are known as Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes or Ae. Albopictus. Dengue is more common in Asian and South American countries. It is rarely seen in Europe or North America because they are not suitable breeding grounds for the dengue mosquito. Dengue is most often found in tropical and subtropical areas. Dengue is more common in urban and suburban areas as well.
Over 100 to 400 million people get infected with dengue every year, however, more than 80 per cent of the cases are asymptomatic.
There are two types of dengue: Mild dengue and Severe dengue.
Mild dengue causes high fever along with flu-like symptoms in affected people.
Severe dengue or dengue hemorrhagic fever is more dangerous and causes severe bleeding and extremely low blood pressure. If severe dengue is not kept under control and treated on time, it can lead to the death of the affected person.
Also Read: National Dengue Day 2022: Expert shares health, nutrition tips for patients
Symptoms of Dengue in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh
- High fever: Dengue causes sudden high fever in the affected person. Body temperature can even exceed 104 degrees celsius if you have dengue fever.
- Nausea: Dengue can cause nausea and make you feel like vomiting. You must keep taking fluids when this happens.
- Bodyache: Dengue causes the affected person to experience an aching sensation throughout the body. It can make the person very uncomfortable. Dengue can cause pain in joints, muscles, and bones.
- Rashes: Dengue can cause rashes and itching in affected persons. The rash usually starts on the face and then can travel down to the whole body.
- Eye pain and itchiness: Dengue can cause eye pain and itchiness in the affected persons. It can lead to further infections which can cause problems in the eyes.
Complications of Dengue
- Bleeding: Severe dengue can cause bleeding in different parts of the body like gums, nose, and skin due to bruising. It can also cause blood to appear in your stool, urine, and vomit.
- Persistent vomiting: If your dengue is severe, then it can lead to persistent vomiting. You should consult a doctor as soon as you experience persistent vomiting.
- Difficulty in breathing: Severe dengue can lead to difficulty in breathing and shortness of breath. When you experience this, seek medical assistance as soon as possible.
- Brain damage: Severe dengue can cause brain damage and hemorrhage in patients due to complications in the blood.
- Death: Severe dengue can even lead to death due to complications such as extremely high fever, brain damage, seizures, damage to the organs, heart attack, etc.
- Treatment for Dengue: There are many ways dengue can be treated. Patients need to follow these in order to recover from Dengue-
- Drink plenty of fluids: Drinking fluids keeps us hydrated, which is needed when you have dengue since dengue can cause fatigue and dehydration.
- Painkillers: Painkillers will be needed during dengue to reduce the pain in the bones, joints and muscles. But make sure you don’t consume too many painkillers because doing so can be dangerous.
- Rest: Dengue patients should try to get as much rest as possible. They should not be working while they have dengue and keep physical activity to a minimum.
- Fever Medicine: Dengue can cause high fever in patients. That is why they must take fever medicine to keep their body temperature under control. Seek a doctor to determine which medicine will be best for you
- Dengue Vaccine: In 2015, a vaccine for dengue was developed by Sanofi Pasteur. This vaccine can prevent further dengue infections in people aged 9 to 45.
