More dengue cases recorded |04 June 2016

Two hundred and fifty-three people have tested positive for dengue, according to statistics released by the Ministry of Health.

The age range is from 7 to 79 years old. All age groups are affected with the 20-24 years being the most affected.

The cases are distributed all over Mahé with the eastern region followed by the north, central and south regions being the most affected. So far no serious complications or fatalities have been recorded.

Intensified mosquito control and surveillance measures are required to curb the spread of dengue. These include public education to eliminate breeding sites and prevent mosquito bites, rapid case detection and isolation, and targeted mosquito (and larval) control.

Dengue fever is a severe, influenza-like illness that affects infants, young children and adults, but seldom causes death. There are four subtypes of dengue and there is no cross immunity between them. Dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) is a potentially deadly complication that has become a leading cause of hospitalisation and death among children in Asia.

There is no specific treatment for dengue, but appropriate medical care frequently saves the lives of patients with dengue haemorrhagic fever. 

Infected humans are the main carriers and multipliers of the virus, serving a source of the virus for uninfected Aedes aegypti and albopictusmosquitoes. The virus circulates in the blood of infected human for 2-7 days, at approximately the same time that they have a fever.  There is no evidence of person-to-person transmission.