Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Unfortunately, in Nicaragua we are in the middle of a Dengue outbreak. Here is what the US Embassy has to say about the matter:

This Warden Message alerts U.S. citizens residing in and visiting Nicaragua that the Nicaraguan Ministry of Health (MINSA) has reported 1,752 confirmed cases of dengue fever in Nicaragua from July 2009 to October 14, 2009. According to local reports, the majority of cases have been reported in the capital city of Managua and in the department of Masaya, although some cases have also been reported in Matagalpa, Boaco, Leon and Rio San Juan. Dengue fever is a mosquito-transmitted illness, for which there is no vaccine, and no specific treatment. Dengue hemorrhagic fever is a rare, more severe and sometimes fatal form of the disease. Since July, MINSA has confirmed eight fatalities caused by Dengue.

The Ministry of Health recommends eliminating sources of standing water, which form breeding grounds for mosquitoes. To further reduce the risk of contracting dengue, Nicaraguan officials and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend wearing clothing that exposes as little skin as possible and applying a repellent containing the insecticide DEET (concentration 30 to 35 percent) or Picaridin (concentration 20 percent or greater for tropical travelers). Because of the increased risk of Dengue fever and the ongoing risk, the CDC recommends practicing preventative measures. If experiencing dengue-like symptoms, U.S. citizens residing in or visiting Nicaragua should contact the nearest health clinic or practitioner for evaluation and treatment. Dengue is diagnosed by a blood test that can be performed at any laboratory. There is no treatment for dengue except Tylenol for the discomfort and plenty of liquids for hydration. However the hemorrhagic form does require monitoring and sometimes hospitalization.

We've been saying for a while that bug spray is a missionary's best friend...and that is indeed true. Fortunately, no one on staff is sick and we haven't seen anyone in our ministry get sick from Dengue either. Still, we are not taking chances and we are investing heavily into bug spray.