Delhiites, Beware! Dengue Cases Are Rising
Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection, mainly spread by infected Aedes mosquitoes. The mosquito usually bites during the daytime, and a person may not develop symptoms immediately after the bite.
How many days after a mosquito bite do symptoms appear?
The incubation period is usually 4–10 days after the bite of an infected mosquito. In some cases, symptoms can appear outside this range, so the timing alone cannot confirm dengue.
Common symptoms of dengue
The illness often begins suddenly and may cause:
- High fever
- Severe headache
- Pain behind the eyes
- Muscle, bone and joint pain
- Nausea or vomiting
- Skin rash
- Weakness and extreme tiredness
When should you be more careful?
Dengue can sometimes become severe, particularly around the time the fever starts to improve. Severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, bleeding from the nose or gums, blood in vomit or stool, extreme weakness, restlessness, or difficulty breathing require urgent medical attention.
How to protect yourself
Prevent mosquito bites by using mosquito repellent, wearing clothing that covers your arms and legs, using screens or mosquito nets where appropriate, and removing stagnant water from coolers, pots, containers and other places where mosquitoes can breed.
Important: A mosquito bite does not automatically mean you have dengue. If you develop a high fever after possible mosquito exposure, consult a healthcare professional and get tested if they recommend it.
