"Mosquitoes are a nuisance" is an understatement. These pests are the deadliest when it comes to spreading viruses that can play havoc to our health.

The "curse" of King Tutankhamun is really a mosquito bite! The financial backer of the discovery of the king's tomb was bitten by a mosquito which led to a deadly blood disease. Even if you let go of myths and legends regarding the pest, the truth remains mosquitoes are deadly.

Currently, dengue fever is shadowing the city almost like the plague. Hospitals are overflowing with patients and their sufferings have no end. About 13,843 dengue patients and counting have so far been hospitalised in city clinics.

The children's wards in hospitals are crowded with sick children, panicked mothers, harassed nurses and doctors. It is almost the same in adults' wards. Patients are lying on makeshift beds on the floor for the lack of a proper hospital bed. 

The risk of infection is high because the peak season for the endemic is between July and September. However, this year it broke early on and health officials state that besides standing water it is also breeding in areas with no stagnant water bodies.

What is scary is that mosquitoes can mutate. It is true, especially with the Aedes species that generic repellents or the chemicals used in fogging machines are ineffective. Mosquitoes mutate and adapt to new environments leading to higher health risks.

The only way to keep them at bay is to make our homes free from mosquito breeding grounds. Among the most pressing dos is to make sure that your trash bucket is clean. No fruit peels or dirty water can be allowed to sit and rot. The pantry and dark corners in store rooms or kitchens where you stuff the used and unclean polythene bags must be given thorough decluttering rounds.

Your water plants must be washed and the water topped up every three days. If you have balcony gardens or window sill plant pots, make sure that the water is not collected in plates for too long. You should air out the plants to avoid mosquitoes from making it their hiding place. Your garage and car are areas where you should be paying attention to. A little regulated cleanliness will save you from the menace and help stop the spread of dengue.

You must make sure your residential community offices are making their regular crack-downs to ensure their clean-up maintenance routines. The city corporation offices should take heed that construction sites are the biggest breeding ground, especially in monsoons when rainwater remains stagnant in the debris. And Dhaka is going through a lot of face-lifting construction now.

And finally, our mayors need to be vigilant to free the city of deadly mosquitoes; but instead of waiting for them to jump to action, you must take the first step to sanitised and de-clutter your home. 

If you are bitten by an Aedes species mosquito infected with dengue virus (DENV), you not only have the risk of having dengue but this species also spread zika and chikungunya viruses. Mosquitoes are also to blame for malaria, yellow fever, and other diseases.

The symptoms of dengue vary from mild to severe haemorrhagic fever, leading to a drop in the number of clot-forming cells (platelets) in your bloodstream. This, platelet drop can lead to shock, internal bleeding, organ failure, and even death.

Nutrient-rich food like omega-3, found in fishes; vitamins, found in fruits; iron, easily found now in taro greens (in season now for monsoon); these helps produce antibodies and also increase platelet count.

The treatment for dengue involves resting, drinking plenty of fluids, and taking painkillers to help bring down your temperature and ease any pain. And there is no way to stop the spread of dengue other than being hygienic and keeping the home clean.