Rainy season is here and with it comes a higher risk of being infected with dengue, which is mainly transmitted by a mosquito called Aedesaegypti and is common in many tropical countries like the Philippines. In 2019, the Department of Health (DOH) declared a national dengue epidemic when the recorded cases from January to July 2019 reached 146,062.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), dengue is a viral infection causing a severe flu-like illness and sometimes even a potentially lethal complication. This complication may cause plasma leaking that may lead to shock or respiratory distress from fluid accumulation, severe bleeding, and even severe organ impairment and death.

Here are some tips on how you can protect yourself and your loved ones from getting infected with dengue, according to the Department of Health:

Keep your house mosquito-free. Try to prevent the breeding of Aedes mosquitoes in your home. They usually breed in ponds, puddles, and stagnant water in soda cans, bottles, or any water-filled container. Cover your water containers and make sure to get rid of stagnant water on a daily basis. Also, throw your trash regularly. Aside from that, consider having your house fogged for mosquitoes to prevent a dengue outbreak.

Protect yourself from mosquito bites. To protect yourself from mosquito bites, wear pants and tops with long sleeves to cover your arms and legs. Experts also advise to use insect repellant containing 20-30% DEET (N,N-Diethyl-m-toluamide) or 20% picaridin.

Seek early medical consultation. Watch out for warning signs of denguelike nausea, vomiting, rashes, ache or pain typically behind the eyes, and muscle, joint, or bone pain.If you suspect that you have dengue fever, consult a doctor immediately. In the event that you’re diagnosed, be sure to follow your doctor’s recommendations to prevent further complications.

Treating dengue may come at a hefty price. A dengue test alone can cost you up toPHP3,000. Once diagnosed, the average medical cost of one-week confinement is at least PHP20,000 in public hospitals and PHP40,000 in private hospitals. For severe cases, which may require treatments beyond one week, hospitalization and medicines may reach up to PHP800,000. To help you be prepared if diagnosed with unexpected illnesses like dengue and its complications, AXA Philippines, one of the country’s leading insurance providers, offers its new health insurance product, Health Care Access, a comprehensive and affordable health care solution for one’s hospitalization and medical needs.

It comes in two plan types: Health Care Access Prime and Health Care Access Lite.

For more information on Health Care Access, visit https://bit.ly/3xwunlp.