It is important to practice the 4S strategy every day to combat their spread, said Dr. Leah Del Rosario, provincial health officer I.
Mosquitoes carry diseases such as dengue, chikungunya and filariasis, among others, said Del Rosario.
The public must keep mosquitoes away to also avoid contracting these diseases, the health official said.
One way to do that, she said, is following the Department of Health’s 4S strategy:
- Search and destroy breeding areas
- Self-protective measures
- Seek early consultation, and
- Say no to indiscriminate fogging.
Delfin noted, however, that some chikungunya patients were being misdiagnosed with dengue, as the two diseases have similar symptoms.
Del Rosario said that, compared to dengue, chinkungunya brings more painful and longer-lasting joint pains but has rare instances of bleeding.
Chikungunya is also less fatal than the other diseases carried by mosquitoes and has a shorter incubation period (three to four days) compared to dengue (four to seven days), health officials said.(PN/RALPH JOHN MIJARES)
