Editorial
Dengue fever outbreak a warning for all

While most of us probably haven't been aware of it before now, it's been no secret in disease-control circles that dengue fever has become a worldwide health problem.

Epidemics of this viral disease have been reported in the Pacific, Asia and the Indian subcontinent. No vaccine has been developed for dengue fever, which according to the World Health Organization is one of the most rapidly increasing insect-borne illnesses today.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, prospects for stopping the spread of this mosquito-borne illness are not promising.

There is no new mosquito control technology available. Public health officials have been spraying around homes and have been stressing community efforts to eliminate breeding sources. These are all useful measures.

With this rash of illness fresh in our minds, it is time for a new emphasis on prevention. It is an emphasis the community needs to take seriously by heeding warnings and acting on them. Clean up areas where mosquitoes and other insects can breed, remove standing water, keep areas where pests can proliferate clean.

Our public health infrastructure must also respond, with alerts to medical personnel and alerts to the community on what to watch for.

We cannot totally halt the spread of insect-borne illnesses but there is a lot we can do to cut the risk of epidemics arriving and thriving on our shores.