Dengue in Delhi: What it can do to your body

Zee News Bureau/Salome Phelamei

New Delhi: Even as the national capital of Delhi grapples with its worst dengue crisis in five years, the vector-borne disease can have other implications as well. So far, the disease has claimed nine lives in the city this year.

As of September 12, the number of cases has climbed to 1,872, and doctors are warning that the city could see a bigger rise in coming weeks in dengue cases as temperatures have not gone down yet.

Dengue is the most common mosquito-borne viral disease of humans that in recent years has become a major international public health concern.

Dengue virus is transmitted by female mosquitoes mainly of the species Aedes aegypti and, to a lesser extent, A albopictus.

Symptoms of dengue fever include- fever, headache, muscle and joint pains, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, mild bleeding in the nose or gums, skin rash, etc.

There is no specific treatment for dengue/ severe dengue, and prevention and control solely depends on effective vector control measures.

Impact of dengue on your body

While most people recover after two to seven days, some develop life-threatening dengue hemorrhagic fever - a more severe form of the illness that can cause organ damage, severe bleeding, and dehydration.

The symptoms then progress to massive bleeding, shock and even death, which is called dengue shock syndrome (DSS).

According to experts, the mosquito-borne disease can affect vision and in rare cases, cause blindness.

Experts also suggest that most people can experience hair fall after dengue fever, with some even developing a condition called telogen effluvium, which is characterised by massive hair loss.

Dengue shock syndrome, where dangerously low blood pressure occurs, can result in damage to the the heart and kidneys.