Tips for Protecting Yourself from Dengue Fever

    Whether you're a Thai national or a tourist, one thing to keep in mind is that every rainy season, Thailand faces an outbreak of dengue fever. Therefore, in your daily life or if you plan to travel anywhere, you need to be prepared.
     Dengue fever is caused by the dengue virus, which has four strains, with mosquitoes acting as vectors. The disease's significant characteristics include high fever, bleeding symptoms, and if not promptly treated, it can lead to shock syndrome and even death.

     The symptoms of dengue fever can be divided into three phases, which need to be closely monitored:

1. Initial phase: The patient will have a high fever for about 5 - 7 days. Symptoms may include muscle pain, rashes or red spots on the body, arms, legs, a loss of appetite, and nausea or vomiting.   
2. Critical phase: This is the most dangerous phase. Patients may feel weak and lethargic, urinate less, experience abdominal pain, especially around the right side of the ribs, and abnormal bleeding such as bloody stools, vomiting blood, or black stools. At this stage, the fever will start to subside, hands and feet become cold, blood pressure drops, and shock syndrome may occur, which can lead to death.
3. Recovery phase: The patient starts to improve. Blood pressure stabilizes, increased urination, improved appetite, reduced abdominal pain and bloating, and the patient feels more energetic. The total duration of dengue fever is approximately 7 - 10 days.

     The best prevention method is to avoid being infected with the dengue virus, or to prevent oneself from being bitten by a mosquito. This can be easily accomplished in three steps:

1. Protect yourself by wearing tight-fitting clothing, sleep in rooms with mosquito nets or screened windows, and use mosquito repellent creams.
2. Eliminate vector habitats. Always cover water storage containers, change water in vases or pots every 7 days, spray chemicals or mosquito repellents to eradicate adult mosquitoes.
3. Get vaccinated against dengue fever. For the dengue vaccine, it is recommended for individuals who have had dengue fever before, to prevent recurrence. This can reduce the severity and provide better results.