Although there has recently been a vaccine develop for dengue it is only partially effective, and thus other means of prevention are still necessary in order to prevent the virus from spreading. Dengue also has no cure, so prevention is crucial.
Mosquitos lay eggs in water, and thus having sources of water around the house can be problematic. Make sure there are no water container is left out in the open to sit, pools of water can even accumulate during monsoon season, causing an ideal egg laying nest. Take extra care to empty cups, open bottles, flower pots or even innocuous things like used tires. Still drain gutters are also a common breeding ground. While reducing the habitat can go a long way, there will always be one or two stragglers who managed to survive your mosquito vanquishing efforts.
Once someone is infected with dengue the person can easily transmit the virus if he/she is bitten by a mosquito that then bites you. Make sure to take extra caution, and avoid having the dengue sufferer near the vicinity of mosquitoes. A sealed off room or mosquito nets is a must. Household pets can also pass off the virus to other mosquitoes, even if they themselves will not encounter dengue fever.
Mornings and evenings are the worst time when it comes to mosquitoes, they do appear at other times, but avoiding being outside during these mosquito peak hours is can heavily minimize the amount of bites you get. Closed off air conditioned rooms can be a good idea during this time. Wearing long pants, or sleeves can also help by minimizing the area of attack. Oddly enough mosquitos seem to be more attracted to dark colours, so wear lighter colours. Use of mosquito repellant will help stem the tide of the hungry hoard. Eucalyptus oil makes an excellent natural oil in repelling mosquitos, or have a try of our most popular product the Begone Bug spray. It is a tried and tested blend of all the best natural insect repelling herbs and oils. Simply apply it all over the exposed areas, or if you’re camping you can spray the outside of your tent to help ward them away.
There are currently a number of vaccines in development, with varying degrees of success. In fact the development of a vaccine has been ongoing since 1929. You’ll have to fast forward all the way to 2016 before our first partially effective vaccine has been on the market. It is called Dengvaxia and is currently only available in the Philippines and Indonesia. The cost is $200 USD.
If you follow these steps your chances of avoiding the virus will be heavily reduced, allowing you to enjoy your travels without fear of breaking out into a delirious fever.
