Health Alert!: The Best way to beat Dengue is To Prevent It.

As rains and monsoon floods continue to submerge our roads and homes and cause stagnant pools of water to accumulate in our surroundings, the threat of dengue remains increasingly high.

The dreaded dengue mosquito (Aedes aegypti) thrives in stagnant pools of water in tanks, cans, empty bottles, tires and hollow vessels that are not cleaned every day. It attacks at daytime – especially during the two hours before sunrise and sunset.  Just one bite can cause dengue, and symptoms appear as early as three to 14 days after. Because its symptoms can be associated with several other illnesses, thousands of dengue cases are oftentimes left untreated, and many result in death. The Department of Health (DOH) says dengue cases abound in suburban communities where junk shops, vulcanizing shops, tires on tops of roofs, backyard piggeries, and underdeveloped subdivisions become natural breeding grounds for Aedis aegypti.

For the deadly combination of stagnant water and dengue mosquito larvae cultivation to end, water-logged areas must be cleaned regularly to prevent the spread of dengue-carrying mosquitoes. Better yet, everyone, regardless of age and gender or status, must make the effort to protect himself/herself from the deadly bite of the dengue mosquito. The best cure against dengue is prevention.

Stanhome World, the No. 1 Direct Selling Home Care brand in Europe, shares some tips to prevent the dengue mosquito from biting:

1.    Eliminate the mosquitoes’ breeding places.

Aedes mosquitoes don’t lay eggs on dirty water. Their favorite place to lay their eggs is in clean yet stagnant water, in moist and dark surroundings.  Discard water from jars, bottles, drums, auto tires, flower/plant pots, trash cans, coconut husks and other materials that collect rain or run-off water. Also, check the gutter and canals in your home and clean them thrice a week to remove water deposits.

 2.    Don’t give mosquitoes access to your home.

Don’t store water in an open container. Add screens to your windows and doors if you can. If you can’t, just make sure that doors and windows are closed especially during the day time.

 3.    Wear protective clothes

Long sleeved shirts or jackets, socks, long pants, and other apparel that will cover your skin to prevent mosquito bites are recommended during these Dengue Danger Days.

4.    Use insect repellent and other products that repel mosquitoes.

Insect repellents can prevent mosquitoes from touching or landing on your clothes or skin. The citronella plant, whose smell the mosquitoes can’t stand, can be planted around the house and placed in strategic areas. STANHOME Banish Citronella -- an odor neutralizer which keeps mosquitoes out as it removes bad odors from your home -- can be hung in strategic places to erect a "force field" against mosquitoes. STANHOME Stan-Wick Citronella home deodorizer which emits a clean, fresh citronella scent also welcomes guests and rejects pests. Keep your skin insect free with STANHOME Insect Repellent Gel that forms an effective protective barrier against deadly mosquitoes and other insects for at least 7.5 hours. 

Remember, if mosquitoes can’t get near you, they won’t be able to harm you at all.

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