Come rains and most of us are familiar with the exponential increase in mosquitoes. And with the rise in mosquito populations comes the high incidence of dengue across the city. The newspaper on any given day further scares people with news and statistics about deaths due to dengue. In fact, the last few years seem to have seen the worst of it. But is dengue really a deadly disease? How can you ensure that you are safe during dengue season? What are the different treatment options? AMRI Dhakuria's renowned infectious disease specialist, Dr Sayan Chakraborty is here to answer our questions.

The incidence of mosquito-borne diseases, like dengue, malaria, chikungunya increases immediately after the monsoons. In the words of Dr Chakraborty, “Like every year, this year too many patients are coming to us with cases of dengue. In some cases, the severity of the disease is extremely high. Hence, right now, we all need to focus on one thing — how to stay healthy.”

According to the doctor, the easiest way to avoid dengue is to prevent mosquito bites completely. And that can only be done by destroying the source of mosquitoes. Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water, and so it is very important to keep places around the house, including tyres, tubs, empty boxes, etc. clean and not allow any water to stagnate. Along with that, arrangements should be made to prevent mosquitoes from biting. You can achieve that by wearing full-sleeved clothes, using mosquito nets at night, or even using liquid repellents as and when necessary.

While it is always better to take your own precautions, people can draw some relief from the fact that the municipal corporation also takes various steps to prevent dengue, such as smoke, smog etc. Dr Chakraborty here adds, “Everyone should work together in any situation if you are to prevent dengue. For example, if there is a mosquito in the stagnant water of the house next door, you can also get dengue from the bite of that mosquito. Therefore, it is advisable to keep your surroundings clean.”

The main symptoms of dengue are fever, body pain, headache, weakness etc. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, be sure to seek medical advice and do not delay if you are asked by your doctor to get a blood test. It is only by taking the right precautions and being proactive that you can prevent dengue and keep yourself and your family safe.

This article has been produced on behalf of AMRI Hospital by ABP Digital Brand Studio.