How To Prevent The Spread Of Chikungunya: Here Are Some Dos And Don’ts

The world might feel more afraid about the spread of Zika virus; but in India, it is chikungunya which has kept India on its toes. The vector-borne disease spreads its tentacles every monsoon, particularly in areas in and around New Delhi, leaving a lot of people affected.

Twin attacks by chikungunya and dengue have claimed several lives in Delhi this year, while several thousands have fallen ill.

Also Read: How To Identify Chikungunya Fever Symptoms?

What Is Chikungunya?
It is a disease that is contracted by the bite of Aedes mosquitoes, and its spread increases during the monsoon when the mosquitoes thrive.

In most cases, chikungunya is not detected in the initial stages. The disease is detected through certain blood tests.

What Are The Symptoms Of Chikungunya?

The main symptoms of chikungunya include:

• High fever

• Headache

• Conjunctivitis

• Pain in the joints and also swelling

• Rashes

How To Deal With The Menace? The Dos & Don'ts
The only way to avoid chikungunya is by avoiding mosquito bites, particularly during the day time, when the Aedes mosquito is mostly active. However, it is always better to take full precaution to protect yourself from getting affected.

Also, here are some of the dos and don'ts to prevent chikungunya, take a look:

Dos

1. Keep yourself fully covered to avoid mosquito bites.

2. Keep your house and the neighbourhood clean. Make sure that there is no stagnant water in the vicinity and the dustbins and garbage disposal cans are covered. You could add insecticides to the stagnant water to stop the breeding of mosquitoes.

3. Clean air-coolers and tanks in your house, so that mosquitoes don't grow at unattended corners.

4. Use mosquito nets while sleeping.

5. Use mosquito coils and repellents that are safe for your health. Do not invite another danger while fending off one.

6. Use natural mosquito repellents like lemon, eucalyptus oil, lavenders, cinnamon or thyme oil, etc.

7. Inform the local civic authorities if the garbage in your vicinity is not being disposed off properly.

8. Allow proper fumigation.

9. Watch out for symptoms like fever, drowsiness, vomiting, joint pains, headache, etc. Rush to the doctor if you suffer from any of these symptoms.

10. Consume plenty of water to keep your system clean.

Also Read: Remedies For Chikungunya Joint Pain

Don'ts

1. Never delay treatment if you have fever and joint pain. The faster you meet the doctor and show the symptoms, the better is the possibility of you avoiding further difficulty.

2. Just contrary to the points mentioned above, don't let stagnant water accumulate near your living place or ignore regular cleaning of your house. Remember, the more hygienic your surrounding is, the better will be your health.

3. Don't expose any part of your body while going outside, and preferably even at home. But, avoid wearing dark-coloured clothes, since they attract mosquitoes.

4. Be careful while using mosquito coils or repellents. Many such products contain harmful ingredients that can cause health hazards.

5. Don't apply mosquito repellents on your palms or near your mouth or ears. Keep children away from these products.

Treatment For Chikungunya
There is no vaccine for this disease. It is advised to have plenty of fluids and take complete rest if one is affected by chikungunya. The treatment for chikungunya is mainly symptomatic, i.e., administering painkillers to get rid of joint pain or using anti-inflammatory medicines.

Some herbal treatment is also preferred by many to treat chikungunya patients, but it is yet to be verified as an effective treatment.

In many cases, hospitalisation becomes necessary to give intravenous fluid, following heavy dehydration caused by vomiting.

There are ample chances of misdiagnosis of chikungunya, since the symptoms of this disease have a lot in common with those of dengue. Chikungunya has also spread to the West in recent years and medical work is being done to find a commercial remedy for the disease.