SHCA confirms six dengue fever cases; Residents urged to take measures to continue to prevent mosquito breeding
Sector Health Care Affairs (SHCA) Dengue Action Response Team (DART) confirmed on Thursday that there are six laboratory confirmed cases of dengue fever for the month of August which is more than what is usually reported. On average two cases are reported per month.
Residents are advised to continue to take preventative measures against mosquito breeding in order to stem any further increase in dengue cases.
The DART team stepped up its response actions a while back and will continue to monitor the situation. Fogging exercises will commence within a week, however dependent on the weather. The current schedule in the various districts had to be discontinued due to rain fall.
Symptoms of dengue fever are: sudden onset of high fever; severe headache (mostly in the forehead); pain behind the eyes which worsens with eye movement; body aches and joint pains; nausea or vomiting; rash in some cases; an unpleasant metallic taste in the mouth, and loss of appetite.
If you have symptoms of dengue fever, you should consult your general physician.
In the meantime there are a number of measures that can be taken by the public according to the Department of Hygiene & Veterinary Affairs and the Public Works Department. All residents and contractors of building sites are advised to take the following measures to prevent mosquito breeding:
Debris, old tires and stagnant water in yards are the source or can become a breeding ground for mosquitoes bringing about an increased risk of mosquito-borne diseases.
Residents are therefore strongly advised to take action making sure there is no stagnant water in their yards and roof spouts; and disposing responsibly old tires, empty drums, buckets, jars, birdbaths, boats, plant containers, paint cans and other items that can collect water around their homes and businesses.
In the case of where containers are used for storing water, residents should keep these covered. Inlets and outlets of cisterns must be covered with a mosquito net or cloth to prevent mosquitos from breeding in the water.
Persons or businesses making use of the landfill in Philipsburg for the dumping of barrels, buckets or anything that can hold water should cut holes into the items to avoid the accumulation of water.