DOH reminds public to observe “4:00 habit” to control dengue

The Department of Health-7 urged anew the public to diligently practice the “four o’clock habit” to prevent and or control the dreaded dengue fever with the onset of the rainy season and the subsequent increase in the number of dengue cases in the community.

 The “4 o’clock habit” is an initiative of the Philippine government that requests residents to practice the cleaning up of their surroundings and the draining of water containers to stop the proliferation of dengue-carrying mosquitoes in support of the Dengue Control Program as well as the Malaria Control Program.

 DOH suggests the practice of cleaning up water containers once a week, covering water containers to prevent mosquitoes from breeding, replacing water in flower vases once a week, cleaning up of gutters, puncturing or cutting into half of tires used as roof support, and disposing of unusable cans, bottles, tins, or other items that can hold water.

 DOH records showed that from January to June this year, the number of dengue cases already reached 830. Last year, the number of cases hit 1,140. 

The public is again warned that stagnant waters during rainy season serve as breeding ground for mosquitoes where they can lay their eggs and proliferate. DOH once again reminds the public to have these mosquito breeding sites destroyed. However, the agency has not recommended indiscriminate fogging.

Dengue hemorrhagic fever is an acute infectious disease manifested initially with fever.

Aedes aegypti, the transmitter of the disease, is a day-biting mosquito that lays eggs in clear and stagnant water found in flower vases, cans, rain barrels, old rubber tires, and other receptacles; while adult mosquitoes rest in dark places of the house, a DOH advisory read.

Signs and symptoms of dengue are sudden onset of high fever that may last two to seven days, joint and muscle pain and pain behind the eyes, body malaise, skin rashes, nose bleeding when fever starts to subside, abdominal pain, vomiting of coffee-colored matter, and excretion of dark-colored stools.

“If these signs and symptoms are present, patients should seek medical consultation to prevent further complications or death,” DOH advised. — Jasmin R. Uy/MEEV