Photos: Dengue At 5-Year High in Delhi, Here's What Government Guidelines Say
Here's all you need to know about the dengue virus and what the Delhi government is doing to control the disease.
Image used for representation.
(Photo: iStock/Altered by FIT)
Dengue fever is caused by the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito. Getting bitten by an Aedes albopictus mosquito can also cause dengue. There are four types of dengue viruses (DENV) that can be caused through mosquito bites - DENV-1 and DENV-2 which are prominent in India, and DENV-3 and DENV-4 that cause severe dengue fever.
Its symptoms usually include high fever, severe headache, joint and muscle pains, pain in the belly, behind the eyes, in your bones, vomiting (multiple times a day), nausea, mild bleeding, rashes, fatigue and restlessness.
What is the Delhi government doing about this unprecedented rise in cases? The Delhi government is running campaigns about the disease in schools to spread awareness.
Hospitals are being readied for prevention too, reserving beds for dengue patients, with additional 24*7 control rooms being set up.
The COVID-19 helpline - 1031 - will now be helping dengue patients too. You can also ask for dengue test kits at mohalla clinics.
Fines for mosquito breeding have been increased. All Delhi hospitals also are now a "zero-tolerance zone" for mosquito breeding.
Advisories have been put out for people to wear clothes that cover most parts of their bodies and not rely on over-the-counter drugs. Delhi government schools have mandated "Dengue Homework Cards," wherein students will have to check if there's stagnant water around their homes.
Apart from this, the Delhi government has also enrolled the metro staff, police officials, and ASHA workers to spread awareness about dengue.
While all these are Delhi government guidelines, you can help yourself by staying hydrated, drinking plenty of fluids, seeking medical help, and getting rest.
With an increase in dengue cases in Delhi, the toll has now reached a five-year-high. With over 180 cases reported, this is the most number of people dengue has affected in the city since 2018.
The flood that wrecked havoc in Delhi in July seems to have only aggravated the situation.
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