5 tips to keep dengue and chikungunya at bay

It's that time of the year. Monsoons. Heavy rains, traffic jams and puddles. Worst of all? The not-so-dynamic duo of monsoon every year — dengue and chikungunya.

Both viral fevers are transmitted by the Aedes aegypty mosquitoes and display more or less the same symptoms. While chikungunya is mostly non-fatal and characterised by swelling and joint pain, muscle pain, headaches and rashes, dengue can be fatal and has symptoms such as high fever, headache, muscle pain, rash, severe eye pain, mild bleeding from the nose or gums and sometimes even gastritis.

Here are five quick points to keep the two diseases at bay:

• Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water. So check flower pots, coolers, water bottles and other such places where water can collect. Keep them dry.
• Do whatever it takes to avoid getting bitten — use mosquito nets, sprays, patches and lotions, and stay fully covered.
• Keep your surroundings clean and get rid of waste in and around your premises regularly.
• See your doctor immediately if high fever persists for more than 24 hours.
• If you have either of the two diseases, take rest and consume a lot of fluids to avoid dehydration.