Dengue Rears Its Ugly Head Again

Aug 27 (Bernama) - Four deaths due to dengue fever were reported one each in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Melaka and Johor in the Aug 17-23 period, the director of the Disease Control Division of the Health Ministry, Datuk Dr Hasan Abdul Rahman, said in a statement here Wednesday.

He said in the same period 1,003 cases of dengue fever were reported representing a drop of 36 cases from the previous week. "Although there is a drop in cases it is still about 10 per cent higher than the same period last year when there were 910 cases and 31 per cent higher than the targeted figure of 765 cases," he said in a statement Wednesday. Dr Hasan said seven states and the federal territories of Putrajaya and Labuan had recorded increases in dengue cases. The seven states are Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, Johor, Terengganu and Kelantan. He said the states and the federal territories had 74 per cent or 743 cases of the total cases reported and to date a total of 29,942 cases of dengue fever with 71 deaths had been reported. He said inspections by the Health Ministry and local authorities revealed that residences and shops were primary breeding grounds of the Aedes mosquito that spreads the dengue fever.

Ask any doctor, he will tell you there is no cure for dengue. You just have to rest and drink lots of liquid. You also have to take a daily blood count so that the count does not drop. If it continues to drop, you may have to do a blood transfusion. Failing to do so is almost certain death.

The remedies below are not necessarily cures, its unproven, it could be just old wives tale. But I had dengue twice last year, so I guess at least I can comment on their effectiveness. You can take the scientific way and rest and take liquids, or you can try the remedies below, its not going to kill you anyway. I have to reiterate that you have to do a daily blood test count to ensure that the count is not dropping - the remedies below are not in any way a substitute for that.

Public Service Announcement

Deaths from dengue fever in Malaysia have risen by a third so far this year and health authorities said recently that the worst is yet to come. The mosquito-borne virus has killed hundreds in Southeast Asia this year, prompting the World Health Organisation to warn that the Western Pacific region could be at risk from a major dengue outbreak. Malaysia recorded 30,285 dengue cases so far this year (2007) with 65 deaths, up from 20,258 cases and 49 deaths in the first seven months of 2006, said Hasan Abdul Rahman, director of the Health Ministry's Diseases Control Division.

You can ask your doctor till the cows come home and they will tell you that there is no cure. Plus as western educated medical doctors, they cannot bring themselves to tell you the alternative cures. Not that I am forcing them to say anything but I am sure they have heard of traditional remedies, but they will still not tell me anything except check into the hospital and drink 100 Plus. Now I was left with the situation of leaving things as it is and go over my will, or ask around. It was a good survey, what was surprising was that there were the same 3 remedies from asking about 20 friends and contacts.

Now, I am not saying that these are indeed cures but hey, they won't kill you. Do you just want to check into hospital (you should if your platelet count dips below 100) or try something that won't kill you. The few doctors / nurses and even the Health Ministry lady said to go to hospital and get a drip and drink lots of water esp 100 Plus. That's the funny thing, all the western medicine staffers recommend 100 Plus (an isotonic drink). Now that's great marketing information - somebody should try and buy out the drinks manufacturer cause I can see their popularity growing strongly forever.

I took the 3 options for 2-3 days and the rashes were gone by the second day. The fastest working remedy was the soup, I felt "recovery" almost immediately. So, here's the public service announcement about the remedies:

1) Papaya Leaves - Put the 4-6 papaya leaves into a blender plus half a cup of water. You won't be able to blend the fibrous leaves totally, so just filter it and drink a couple of table spoons twice a day. Tastes very bitter but not that bad actually.

http://www.keral.com/articles/Papaya_leaves_juice_a_natural_cure_for_dengue.htm

2) Replenishing Liquids - Blend bitter gourd, green apples, starfruit with a dollop of honey. Make a liter a day and keep it cold as the concoction will turn brown after a day. Drink throughout the day - it actually tastes very nice. I think Jusco prepares the same fresh juice mix for sale. Naturally also drink lots of water and 100 Plus in between.

3) Bitter Gourd & Frog Soup - To me, this had the greatest immediate relief. Cut up one bitter gourd and boil with three whole frogs (getting fresh frogs from the markets was the difficult thing and get them to de-skin for you). Use 8 bowls of water and boil till you get 3 bowls over low heat half-opened top, season with salt. It actually tastes pretty good and the frog tasted well. Do that once a day. Eat some of the bitter gourd as well.

Most of the remedies are based on the concept of heatiness, which western medicine cannot and do not accept as a valid condition. Like I say, these remedies will not kill you and the fact that friends who have had dengue also gave similar remedies (esp the soup) lends credence to the remedies.

Hey, you are supposed to have a no cure sickness, why not try a no-side-effects remedy!? Of course, you should do that and check into the hospital at the same time as they need to do a blood count thing regularly to see if the count is dropping. If it drops to a precarious level they may have to resort to some blood transfusion - so its not a small matter. With or without the remedies, one MUST take a blood test every day to check the count. If its dropping, its not good.

In my experience, the bitter gourd and frog soup really soothes the body. I could sleep soundly after taking them. I got well both times in less than 2 days after taking the above, it could have been because mine was a mild case, I don't know. But when science gives you zero option, do you lay there to die or at least try something (which will not kill you).

p/s photos: Haruna Yabuki