Victimspeak: When Dengue came calling

Until a few years ago, if mosquitoes were breeding unchecked, chances were that people would be afflicted by malaria. But in the recent past, cases of Dengue have wreaked havoc in the minds of the general public. Deccan Herald spoke to a few victims of the dreaded diseases and here’s what they had to say.

Sumeet Kaur, a junior architect, had experienced it first as tiredness. “The symptoms set on very quickly. I started feeling shivery and an hour later, I was in bed with high fever. I had pain all over and a severe headache started. I woke up one morning with rashes from neck to ankles. I went to the doctor and got tests done, which confirmed Dengue,” says Kaur. She still feels tired but thankfully, the gradual recovery process has started.

Upendra Kumar, who works at a multinational firm in the City, was diagnosed with Dengue about a month ago. “I had high fever, vomiting, severe muscle and bone ache, and watery eyes. The duration was about 10 days.” But for him, managing the disease was easier. Says Kumar: “I drank lots of water, took lots of rest and drank mostly soups. I think there is nothing much to worry about, as it is just overhyped.”

But not everyone agrees. Last August, Fathima Bi, a senior citizen of 64 years, had taken well over three months to recover from the disease. Her blood platelet count had dropped drastically from a high of 1.5 lakh to 10,000 in four days. Her body had weakened so much that she had to be rushed to a super speciality hospital and put on 24/7 observation for days.  

In the case of Shabbaj Hussain, a private firm employee, Dengue had forced a blood transfusion. He recalls, “I live in a paying guest accommodation. I was feeling very sleepy. My colleagues joked that I was normally like that, so no one took notice till I developed rashes. Later, my condition worsened so much that the doctors had to transfuse blood.”

Security guard Umakanth Sahu was down with Dengue for six days. But he still cannot figure out how he contracted it. “The surroundings at home and at office are clean. I do not know how I got the disease. It was terrible,” Sahu recalls.

Physician Dr Rajashekhar B says that patients who suffer fever usually get tested for Dengue as well. One can contract this disease at any time. However, during the monsoon, the cases are on the higher side. Hence, one needs to take extra care, he adds.

He suggests four types of preventive measures. First is personal: no exposed skin, use of mosquito repellents and bed nets; Environmental measures include adopting solid waste management, creating awareness, disposal of water cans, coconut shells, tyres and cutting of grass. Biological measures include introduction of Gambusia fish (commonly known as mosquito fish) in ponds and other water bodies, which feed on larvae of mosquitoes. One chemical measure is thermal fogging.

While there is no single formula to ensure a Dengue-free society, an individual’s personal contribution towards hygiene goes a long way in serving the purpose. If preventive measures are taken, one can surely help curb this disease, he says.