Chikungunya Fever Prevention
Prevention
At present, there is no effective vaccine against chikungunya fever. The best way to prevent chikungunya fever is to avoid visiting mosquito infested areas when travelling overseas especially forests and/or areas with monkeys.
Please take the following precautionary measures when travelling overseas:
- Avoid visiting mosquito infested areas.
- Avoid visiting forest or areas with monkeys;
- Wear long-sleeved clothes and long trousers light in colour for protection against mosquitoes;
- Use insect repellent containing DEET over the exposed parts of the body.
- Use mosquito screens or nets when the room is not air-conditioned.
- Place mosquito coil or electric mosquito mat / liquid near possible entrance, such as window, to prevent mosquito bites.
- Travellers returning from endemic countries or where there has been an outbreak of chikungunya fever, and suffer from symptoms of the disease should seek prompt medical advice.
To prevent mosquito borne diseases, it is important to eliminate pockets of stagnant water that serve as mosquito breeding sites at home, at schools, workplaces and their vicinity, and to avoid mosquito bites. To prevent the accumulation of stagnant water:
- Put all used cans and bottles into covered dustbins.
- Change water for plants at least once a week, leaving no water in the saucers underneath flower pots.
- Cover tightly all water containers, wells and water storage tanks.
- Keep all drains free from blockage.
- Top up all defective ground surfaces to prevent the accumulation of stagnant water.
