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| Dengue fever is spread by Aedes Mosquito (above) which also spreads zika virus (now prevalent in Brazil and many parts of the world and is linked to birth defects, source). picture via |
As of 2010, dengue fever is believed to have infected 50 to 100 million people worldwide in just a year which is a 30 fold increase from year 1960 to 2010. And this increase is believed to be due to urbanization, population growth, increased international travel and/or global warming with much of the outbreaks happening in countries near to the equator. (see more stats from source)
In Singapore, new cases emerge every month throughout the little island (see warning 'red zone' banner below). For many years, we record cases of dengue death every single year.
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| Dengue alert banner in Singapore. Indeed! Our lives. Our fight. picture via |
This is a wake up call to everyone that all of us must do our part in order to stop the spreading of this disease. In fact, dengue is spread by a female Aedes mosquito which first bites a person infected with dengue virus and then move on to bite another healthy person, thus spreading the virus.
The most obvious thing we can do now is to stop the breeding of these virus-carrying mosquitoes. HOW? Get rid of any stagnant water in our own house and everywhere we go. And person infected should also exercise caution and prevent mosquito bites by applying insect repellant in order to prevent the further spreading of the virus.
All of us should also frequently check the usual mosquito breeding sites: Water features (ponds, fish tanks), under sinks, flower pots, vases, stuff for god offerings (e.g. cups, vases), toilet bowl and it's surroundings, pails, drainages, planter box, aircon tray, rubbish or recycling sites, construction sites, etc.
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| Mosquito larva in stagnant water. picture via |
In addition, here are some notes and tips on the dengue issue.
* Ultrasonic pest repeller works to a certain extend, as confirmed by a pest control services provider. It gives out ultrasonic sound waves in certain frequencies that are unbearable to pests which effectively drive them away. You can safely place it near your children's sleeping and study area. This beats applying insect repellent onto them especially while they're sleeping. I've used this for years already. So far no mosquito bites. One deterring factor may be that I currently stay on the 15th floor which, due to their limited flying range in altitude, should have fewer mosquitoes. But.... read the next point below.
* Although mosquitoes are said to fly up to a maximum of 3 to 4 floors of a building, under normal circumstances, they can actually follow you into the lifts, onto planes, be swept up by strong winds and be able to reach any height. Of course, if there is stagnant water suitable for breeding, even at a high level, they'll have a chance of breeding and subsequently, spreading the virus.
* If you have a pond or a pot of water plants, make sure the water is not stagnant. There must be sound and movement created by, say, water pumps, for instance. Otherwise, putting fishes that feeds on mosquito larvae can be an alternative. Bear in mind though, not all fishes feed on larvae. Guppy is a good choice, I was told. Koi, not so much. But, nothing is 100% sure here. To be safe, and especially if you hardly have the time to check for mosquito larvae in your home water features, just do not install or set them up. It is not worth yours or any of your family member's life, right?
* To further prevent the breeding of Aedes mosquitoes, check all your home pipings for any leakage, close all windows and toilet seats properly, and pour away all bodies of stagnant water if you are going on a vacation and will not be home for extended periods. You wouldn't want to return home and receive the news of your neighbours down with dengue, because your house is breeding Aedes mosquitoes while you were out of town. Remember, holiday responsibly!