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Dengue strikes again!

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31 October 2017 12:43 am - 0     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Tightening our belts before 

The threat of Dengue is a dark shadow looming in the Sri Lankan horizons, waiting to strike as soon as an opportunity presents itself. At the time of writing as many as 162952 cases of dengue have been reported; an all time high. Though the number of dengue patients has been declining since the end of July, as per the data provided by the Epidemiology Unit, the public have raised their suspicions regarding this figure because they feel it can rise given the wet weather experienced in most parts of the country. The Daily Mirror contacted Dr. Prachila Samaraweera of the National Dengue Control Unit to clear the doubts regarding the magnitude of the threats associated with the rise in dengue.   
”Yes, we have identified a slight possibility of an increase in dengue in the coming few weeks, with the rain favouring the breeding of the mosquito. We are currently taking action to minimize the spread of the disease in areas which are at a higher risk. For an example, we carried out dengue prevention programmes in Jaffna following an increased number of patients and we’ve had less patients being reported afterwards,” she replied.   


Samaraweera also said that the authorities have observed an increase in Dengue cases around this time of the year in previous years as well. The data obtained from the Epidemiology Unit, showing the spread of Dengue cases throughout the year over the past few years also reveals that even though the highest number of cases is reported around 25-30 week of the year, there is a slight peak after around 42 weeks.   


two monsoon seasons


To quote the research paper published in 2017 on the “Effect of Climatic Factors and Population Density on the Distribution of Dengue in Sri Lanka”, by P.D.N.N. Sirisena and the others, “With two monsoon seasons in Sri Lanka, the absolute number of dengue and severe Dengue cases peak twice annually. The first peak occurs in June/July that coincides with the South Western monsoon due to the rainfall that starts in April. The second peak occurs between the end of the year and early January next year which is associated with the North Eastern monsoon that occurs from October to December”. This also indicates a possibility of an oncoming rise in Dengue cases.    


After the epidemic proportion dengue outbreak that we experienced during the middle of the year, being aware of a possibility of Dengue making a significant comeback is of utmost importance. By anticipating the event, we can be better prepared, thus minimizing it’s damage. What can we do to prepare for this challenge?   


” Always be alert, and watch out for possible mosquito breeding places during this rainy season,” cautioned Dr. Samaraweera. She also advised to give special attention to work places and schools, as well as residences and the surroundings, since these are the places where one spends most of the time during the day. 

 
 As most of our readers are already aware of, contracting of Dengue needs fulfilling of three criteria. First, there should be a carrier, who has the Dengue virus in his bloodstream. Then there should be the mosquito that can transmit the virus by first biting the carrier and getting the infected blood into its body. The third criterion is for the infected mosquito to bite a healthy uninfected person, releasing the virus into his or her bloodstream.   


detecting an outbreak


When it comes to the prevention of dengue, in addition to destroying the mosquito breeding grounds, it’s important to prevent the mosquitoes from getting infected from the diseased carriers, so that they can’t spread the disease further, said Dr. Hasitha Udalagama, Resident House Officer at the Base Hospital Nikaweratiya. “The best thing to do is being alert about fever in endemic areas, thereby enabling early detection. When a patient is identified with a certain community (village, scheme, street, work place etc.), measures should be taken to limit the transmission from that person. These measures include keeping that person inside a net for about 5 days, using repellents and taking other measures to prevent mosquito bites in the neighbourhood and eliminating breeding sites. Reporting the cases (notification by health professionals) is vital in detecting an outbreak,” he further explained.   
The objective of this article is not to unduly alarm our readers with a dire warning of an impending threat of Dengue. Rain is only one factor amongst many that contributes to the rise in Dengue cases. When it comes to the spread of Dengue many other external factors like temperature, humidity and urbanization have been found to positively correlate with the spread of Dengue. Therefore, with so many factors contributing to the disease, no one can predict exactly what would happen in the future regarding the dengue situation. Does this mean that we should cross our arms and allow fate to decide when disaster should strike next? We should not forget that among the uncontrollable things like rains or the winds, there are modifiable factors. These things which are under the control of the average human like you and I have the greatest impact on the spread of Dengue. By reducing mosquito breeding grounds and by minimizing the spread of the disease through the carriers, we can lessen the impact of the demon waiting to strike. In other words, we may not prevent the hazard, but by being prepared and working together, we can certainly impede it’s progression towards disaster.   

 


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