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| (Image Source: CNN Philippines/Bacolod City Health Office) |
On the
afternoon of August 6, 2019, the Department of Health (DOH) officially declared
a National Dengue Epidemic following swarms of dengue patients filling up
hospitals in various parts of the country and more than 820 dead from hundreds
of thousands of cases reported in the first six months of the year. The
declaration really surprised me considering that I've never learned of such
before which is days after Lipa City mayor Eric Africa declared a dengue
outbreak in the city more than a week ago. With this in mind, it is without
question that even the millennial generation should take this seriously even if
they work at late night.
If
you've seen news reports about dengue patients flocking in hospitals on
television or experienced it yourself when you went to your preferred hospital
for checkup and consultation, then you should know that these patients are
suffering various symptoms after being bitten by a small but dangerous breed of
mosquito unbeknownst to what they are doing. Some of these patients have
succumbed to these symptoms that are slowly taking a toll on their body and their
health. Heck, even the future of the Filipino nation is affected by it and it
is not a joking matter. The series of outbreaks in many parts of the country is
definitely more alarming than ever before which is where we should all take
action about it and never let the fever spread even further.
So,
what shall we do to ensure that there will be no imminent spread of dengue in
our community? Well, first things first, we need to exercise a habit everyday
at four o'clock in the afternoon and that would be cleaning up all the gutters
and throwing out unused water. The reason for it is that these are potential
surroundings where the mosquitos gather, more particularly the ones carrying
the dengue virus. Parents must not let their younger children go near these
areas if they don't want their kids to be bitten by a mosquito. On the other
hand, you should allow the proper authorities to perform fogging operations in
your home and surroundings when it is needed. Finally, if you or your kids happen
to feel sick or experience having signs of a dengue fever, it is best to seek
consultation on a local health center as early as possible.
With
these in mind, I could say that I have shared a simple explanation on the 4S
checklist made by the DOH regarding dengue and I'm guessing that this is something
that even communities around the world should consider doing since dengue is no
joking matter or not to be disregarded. Oh, and don't put mosquito repellent
and spread water all over gutters because these don't work against the spread.
In any case, let's just hope and pray that the epidemic won't reach the fast
approaching holiday season. Otherwise, it could get uglier than before.
