The first ever case of dengue fever has been detected in the Bhutan capital, Thimphu. The hospital has treated dengue patients before, but all from outside the city. The infection was detected in the victim, a 63-year-old woman, in its early stages.

Dengue fever is transmitted by the dengue mosquito, which breeds in clean water. The symptoms of the disease are fever, severe headaches and body aches, nausea, vomiting, eye pain and bleeding. There is no specific treatment, and patients are advised to take analgesics and drink a lot of fluids.

Dengue is more common outside the capital, and there was a serious outbreak in the south of the country in 2004, as part of a more widespread epidemic of mosquito-related infections.

Health officials advised the public to avoid infection by using insecticide-treated beds, repellents, coils and vapourisers, screening windows and doors and wearing full-sleeved clothing.

Related web sites: Wikipedia - Dengue fever ; WHO - Dengue

Source: Phuntsho Choden & Passang Norbu, Kuensel Online, 09 Sep 2008

Tags: on-site sanitation, south asia, water-related diseases