Every May 16, National Dengue Day is observed to spread awareness about the vector-borne disease. The campaign was started by the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry. Dengue fever is a painful and incapacitating mosquito-borne disease caused by any of four closely related Aedes species. These mosquitoes carry viruses that cause West Nile Virus illness and yellow fever.
Dengue causes a wide range of diseases. This can range from subclinical sickness – where people are unaware that they are infected– to severe flu-like symptoms in those who are afflicted. Severe dengue has a greater risk of mortality if not treated properly.
Every year, an estimated 400 million dengue infections occur worldwide, with around 96 million resulting in severe disease. The majority of instances occur in tropical parts of the world.
Comments