Knowing a bit more about Ades and fighting Dengue

As u all know, Singapore is currently plagued by the attack of the Ades Mosquito. And it has been made worse with the recent crazy weather. Suddenly hot, and suddenly rain liao crazy and then humid like crazy.

Ok, have just read this from today's newspaper on the various hotspots, they will be in order:

1. Kim Keat area: 31 cases
2. West Coast Link: 28 cases
3. Pasir Ris Ave 6: 24 cases
4. West Coast Road: 23 cases
5. Rivervale area: 17 cases
6. Geylang 12, 14, 16,17, 19 and 21: 14 cases
7. Tampines street 22:16 cases
8. Lorong Ah Soo: 14 cases
9. Geylang 20, 22, 23, Sim Avenue, Guillemard Road area: 13 cases
10. Clementi West street 2 (argh!!!): 11 cases
11. Senga, Jelapang Road: 10 cases
12. East Coast Road, Telok Kurau M street and N street: 10 cases

Aiyo!! Clementi West is facing a serious case of Dengue attack!!! In case u are wondering. Yes, i stay in Clementi West. And my area is ranked 10th among the list on top *sigh*

I really shudder at the fact of being in the danger of kena-ing Dengue. I mean, i've never kena that, but i've experienced similar symptoms. It happened when i was around 21 or 22 years old. And my mom was away in Copehagen on a 3 week work trip. When i started experiencing fever symptoms, she was just going away. And when it came and went a few times, and even after seeing the doctor like 3 times, i was kinda freaked out (Man, i missed my mom at that time). And finally was asked to do a blood test.

Blood test is scary enough to think of how serious it could get. And 2ndly, findly my vein is another issue. Too thin! Argh! (that's why i'm not encouraged to donate blood - high risk of infection) So i had blood drawn from the vein seen near my knuckles. Think that's much more painful from take near the elbow? It was a terrible terrible experience. Thankfully, it wasn't dengue, but a near-serious bout of bacterial infection. Was on 2 week medication.... So sad, and my momma wasn't with me... Anyway, it's over :) But, if u ask me if i still remember the experience, yes i do. I won't forget it. It's very hard to bear with discomfort. It displays similar symptoms to dengue.

That's why i'm kinda freaked-out slightly when i typed out the Hotspot list where Clementi-west Coast area is so high as compared to others. I dont' want to go through that trauma again, ever!

I guess West Coast-Ayer Rajah Town Council has been hard at work, keeping on taping the posters to encourage residents to prevent mozzie from reproducing. To whoever: seems that the TV ads are not working huh?! 10-min Mozzie Wipe-out exercise doesn't seem to be practiced in the West Part of Singapore (namely Clementi West area). Maybe should go through e9 to promote it :P (hahahahahahahahaha)

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I have a member in the CG, Samuel. He's a researcher with ***, and his experiments actually deal with mice. Yes, laboratory white mice. All the time, we are all very amazed with how he could deal with the mice. He shared that after the experiments, all the mice has to be exterminated - killed off. Reason being is that with the experiments of having the viruses, it will not do good to the rest of living things if they are left rampant.

Was talking to him on the way out of Expo, and i kinda asked him if he knew anything on the prevalent dengue virus. And he has some knowledge of it. And he shared so stuff on the Ades that quite interesting:

1. There are actually 2 kinds of Ades Mosquito - he shared really technical names that i can't register at all
2. The Ades is the catalyst for the virus mutation, not the orginator - Sam shared that when an Ades bit someone with the Dengue Virus, it actually goes into the mozzie's bloodstream. For this virus to spread, it will need to take around 10 days for the mozzie to take in the virus totally. So what does this entail? This mean that when a person is bitten by a Ades Mozzie, (a) The mozzie bit someone with Dengue Virus 2 days ago: Good news, u won't kena Dengue, because the virus hasn't spread 100% into the mozzie's bloodstream. (b) The mozzie bit someone with virus 11 days ago: Bad news, u will kena the Dengue, because the virus has incorporated into the mozzie, and whoever it bites will kena
3. There's no tell-tale sign on the mozzie to say that (1) i (the mozzie) bit someone with Dengue today (2) i (the mozzie) has bitten someone with Dengue 11 days ago

All mozzies look black to me. Unless u start at the mozzie long enough, then 'Oh' u can see the black and white Ades.

Interesting huh?! So. If ever, a Mozzie decide to land on u, first response is usually to smack it dead yah. But usually people brush it off and get on with what they are doing. But i guess, after reading the above, maybe u can.

1. Rejoice, because u are positive (dunno how) that the mozzie doesn't contain the virus [yet?]
2. Get all freaked-out out because when u are negative to think that the mozzie contains dengue virus [even without checking whether if it's ades?]

Anyway, this issue has gone to quite a serious case, so i'll want to recommend some information (very important ah, if u stay in any hotspot)

Please check out the 10-Min Mozzie Wipe out Exercise and for goodness sake, do them!!! You are protecting your environment, your family and ultimately yourself.

In case u are not convinced, i need to inform you that Dengue Kills. Ok, maybe this one is not convincing, because u will say "That's Cambodia, But our conditions in Singapore are much better".

Read THIS.

Just realized this news shows more seriousness of the Dengue : 3,200 cases has been reported this year!

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Symptoms of Dengue Fever

1. Sudden high fever
2. rash
3. Severe headache
4. Pain behind the eyes
5. Muscle and joint pain
6. Nausea
7. Vomitting
8. Loss of appetite
9. After the fever started, the rash will appear 3-4 days later

To get more information, check out your favorite search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and others such as Wikipedia

Till my next entry!! Argh! When's my anniversary special coming?!