Authorities issue dengue alert for Arunachal capital as fever cases rise

Itanagar, Sep 27 (PTI) Arunachal Pradesh have issued a health advisory for early detection of dengue cases and raising public awareness amid an upsurge in instances of sudden short-term fever.

The advisory by the office of the Itanagar Capital Region district medical officer, Dr C Lowang Mallo, on Saturday urged locals to take preventive measures and seek immediate medical attention if symptoms appear.

Dengue is a vector-borne disease that causes acute febrile illness generally lasting between two and seven days. Common symptoms include headache, body ache, joint pain, rashes, and retro-orbital pain, or pain behind the eyes, the advisory said.

Locals have been advised to prevent mosquito breeding by eliminating stagnant water, regularly cleaning water coolers and tanks, and keeping water storage containers covered. The health department also asked people to use mosquito repellents and mosquito nets, install window screens, and wear full-sleeved clothing.

People experiencing dengue symptoms should avoid self-medication and consult a doctor immediately for diagnosis, the advisory said. It specifically cautioned against taking aspirin, ibuprofen, and steroids without medical advice.