Right after summer and by the month of June, the wet or rainy season starts to take over. A good rainstorm nourishes the plants, replenishes water supply and gives you a good setting to curl up with your favorite book. However, just like anything else, too much rain could lead to negative effects for wildlife, the environment and even the economy, which also includes the peak of dengue infection. This is why every month of June is observed as the National Dengue Awareness Month by virtue of Proclamation No. 124 to highlight on the prevention and control of dengue in the country.
Dengue fever, also known as break bone fever is a mosquito-borne infection that can lead to a severe flu-like illness caused by certain species of mosquitoes such as the Aedes aegypti. This type of mosquito commonly increase in breeding during the rainy season and in unclean environments and usually bites between 2 hours after sunrise and 2 hours before sunset. It is one of the fastest-spreading mosquito-borne diseases with 185,008 five-year average cases in the Philippines based on the 2012-2016 data of the Department of Health (DOH). According to health officials, the most common symptoms that can be seen in a person with dengue are high fever, weakness or intense fatigue, headache, body pain and red spots on the skin.
Since these mosquitoes can lay eggs in any space that holds clear and stagnant water such as a bottle cap, dish dryer, plant axil, gutter, trash can and other containers, keeping a clean environment to prevent them from breeding is the best way to prevent acquiring dengue. In line with this, the DOH implemented the Enhanced 4-S strategy as a call for everyone to become prime movers in controlling mosquito population and avoiding possible dengue deaths within the community.
The Enhanced 4-S campaign stand for:
S- earch and destroy mosquito-breeding sites
S-eek early consultation
S- elf protection measure
S- ay yes to fogging only during outbreaks
As the Philippines is still facing the current pandemic of COVID-19, an additional outbreak of dengue fever is a dangerous combination for the health system of the country. One way to avoid this dilemma is through practicing the preventive measures such as the Enhanced 4-S strategy especially during this start of rainy season. Reducing the burden of dengue is not only the responsibility of one actor but demands a strong unity of everybody in the community.
NO I Angelica O. Pajulas
