Dengue fever: what to watch for
How to tell dengue from the flu, which painkillers to avoid, and the warning signs that mean hospital.
Severe stomach pain, repeated vomiting, bleeding or extreme tiredness as the fever falls means go to hospital.Accident & Emergency at 27 Hope Road is open 24 hours. For an ambulance, call 110. Call us
Dengue is spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which breeds in clean standing water around homes and bites mostly in the daytime. Jamaica sees cases every year, with more after heavy rains.
Symptoms
Symptoms begin four to ten days after the bite and last about a week.
- A sudden high fever
- A severe headache and pain behind the eyes
- Muscle and joint pain
- Nausea or vomiting
- A rash
Looking after someone at home
- Rest and plenty of fluids: water, coconut water, soup, oral rehydration salts.
- Paracetamol for fever and pain, at the dose on the pack.
- No aspirin, ibuprofen, diclofenac or other anti-inflammatory painkillers. They raise the risk of bleeding.
- Sleep under a net or use repellent, so mosquitoes don’t carry the virus to the rest of the household.
Warning signs
The dangerous stage often comes as the fever is going down, usually three to seven days into the illness. Go to hospital if you see any of these:
- Severe stomach pain
- Vomiting that won’t stop
- Bleeding from the gums or nose, or blood in vomit or stool
- Fast breathing
- Extreme tiredness, restlessness or confusion
- Cold, clammy skin
Stopping mosquitoes at home
- Once a week, empty and scrub anything that holds water: drums, buckets, plant saucers, pet bowls, old tyres.
- Keep water drums and tanks tightly covered.
- Clear gutters and get rid of containers you don’t need.
- Use repellent and wear long sleeves when mosquitoes are about.