Public Awareness & Prevention
Know the risk. Prevent the disease. Protect the community. These concise visual guides focus on practical prevention, important warning signs and when to seek medical help.
Protect yourself during the rainy season
Mosquito exposure, flooding, unsafe water and vegetation contact can increase the risk of several infections. Prevention starts at home and in the community.
Mosquito-borne viral infectionJapanese Encephalitis
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Japanese Encephalitis
Tap to learn prevention & warning signsSpread by infected Culex mosquitoes. Risk is higher in endemic rural/agricultural areas, especially around rice fields and places where mosquitoes breed.
- Use mosquito nets, repellents, full-sleeved clothing and window/door screens.
- Reduce mosquito breeding around the home and follow local vector-control advice.
- JE vaccination is the most effective specific prevention where vaccination is recommended by the public-health programme.
- High fever with severe headache
- Confusion, unusual behaviour or excessive drowsiness
- Seizures, weakness or altered consciousness
Fever with confusion, seizures, severe drowsiness or any change in consciousness requires urgent hospital assessment.
Anopheles mosquito-borne infectionMalaria
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Malaria
Tap to learn prevention & warning signsMalaria is transmitted through bites of infected Anopheles mosquitoes. Rainfall and standing water can increase mosquito breeding in many areas.
- Sleep under insecticide-treated mosquito nets where recommended.
- Use repellents, long clothing and screens, especially from evening through night.
- Support local vector control such as indoor residual spraying and seek testing early for fever in a malaria-risk area.
- Fever with chills or sweating
- Headache, body ache, weakness
- Repeated vomiting, breathing difficulty, confusion or jaundice can signal severe disease
Seek prompt testing for unexplained fever in a malaria-risk area. Confusion, severe weakness, breathing difficulty, seizures or persistent vomiting need urgent care.
Aedes mosquito-borne viral illnessDengue
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Dengue
Tap to learn prevention & warning signsDengue spreads through infected Aedes mosquitoes, which often breed in small collections of clean stagnant water around homes and commonly bite during the day.
- Empty, cover or clean water containers, coolers, flower pots, discarded tyres and other collections of standing water every week.
- Use mosquito repellent, long clothing, screens and nets when resting.
- During suspected dengue, avoid self-medicating with aspirin or ibuprofen unless a clinician specifically advises them; paracetamol is generally preferred for fever.
- Severe abdominal pain or persistent vomiting
- Bleeding from gums/nose, blood in vomit or stool
- Extreme weakness, restlessness, drowsiness or breathing difficulty
Warning signs can appear as the fever starts settling. Seek urgent medical care if severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, bleeding, drowsiness or breathing difficulty develops.
Food- and water-borne bacterial infectionTyphoid
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Typhoid
Tap to learn prevention & warning signsTyphoid spreads mainly through food or water contaminated with Salmonella Typhi, especially where safe water, sanitation and food hygiene are inadequate.
- Drink safe treated or boiled water and avoid unsafe ice or water sources.
- Wash hands with soap before eating or preparing food and after using the toilet.
- Eat freshly cooked food, practise food-handler hygiene and discuss typhoid vaccination when appropriate.
- Persistent fever
- Abdominal discomfort, headache or marked weakness
- Vomiting, abdominal distension, bleeding or severe worsening
Persistent fever for several days, dehydration, severe abdominal pain, vomiting, confusion or bleeding requires medical evaluation.
Chigger-borne bacterial infectionScrub Typhus
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Scrub Typhus
Tap to learn prevention & warning signsScrub typhus is transmitted through bites of infected larval mites (chiggers), often after exposure to scrub vegetation, bushes, fields or grassy areas.
- Avoid sitting or lying directly on dense scrub or grass in endemic areas.
- Wear long sleeves, long trousers, socks and closed footwear during field or vegetation exposure.
- Use appropriate insect repellent on exposed skin/clothing and bathe/change clothes after outdoor exposure.
- Fever with severe headache and body ache
- A dark scab-like eschar at the bite site may occur, but it can be absent
- Breathing difficulty, jaundice, confusion or low blood pressure suggest complications
Unexplained fever after field/vegetation exposure—especially with an eschar, rash or severe illness—should be assessed early because prompt treatment matters.
Floodwater- and animal-urine associated infectionLeptospirosis
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Leptospirosis
Tap to learn prevention & warning signsLeptospira bacteria can enter through cuts, abrasions or mucous membranes after contact with water or soil contaminated by urine from infected animals. Risk can rise after flooding.
- Avoid unnecessary contact with floodwater, muddy water or potentially contaminated soil.
- Wear waterproof boots and gloves when exposure cannot be avoided and cover cuts/wounds with waterproof dressings.
- Use safe drinking water and practise rodent-control and environmental hygiene.
- Fever with severe muscle pain or headache
- Red eyes, vomiting or marked weakness
- Jaundice, reduced urine, bleeding, breathlessness or confusion
Fever after floodwater exposure, especially with jaundice, reduced urine, breathlessness or bleeding, needs prompt medical assessment.
Prevention beyond the monsoon
Blood safety, vaccination, safer practices and rapid action after exposure can prevent serious infections throughout the year.
Preventable blood- and body-fluid transmitted infectionHIV Prevention
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HIV Prevention
Tap to learn prevention & warning signsHIV can be transmitted through certain sexual exposures, shared injecting equipment, contaminated blood exposure and from mother to child. It is not spread by casual contact, sharing food or mosquito bites.
- Use condoms correctly and consistently and get tested for HIV/STIs when appropriate.
- Never share needles, syringes or injecting equipment; use sterile equipment for injections, tattoos and piercings.
- People with substantial ongoing risk can discuss PrEP. After a significant possible exposure, HIV PEP should be started as soon as possible and no later than 72 hours.
- HIV may cause no symptoms for a long time, so testing—not symptoms—is how infection is diagnosed.
- A recent high-risk exposure is itself a reason to seek advice promptly.
After a possible significant HIV exposure, seek urgent medical advice immediately because PEP is time-sensitive.
Blood-borne viral hepatitisHepatitis B & C Prevention
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Hepatitis B & C Prevention
Tap to learn prevention & warning signsHepatitis B and C can spread through infected blood and unsafe injections or procedures. HBV can also spread sexually and from mother to child.
- Hepatitis B has a safe and effective vaccine—complete the recommended series if indicated.
- Use screened blood, sterile medical/injection equipment and never share needles, razors or other items that may carry blood.
- There is currently no vaccine for hepatitis C; prevention depends on blood safety, sterile equipment, harm reduction, testing and treatment.
- Many infections are initially silent
- Jaundice, dark urine, nausea or unexplained fatigue can occur
- Chronic infection may cause liver damage without early symptoms
People with blood exposure risks, household/sexual HBV exposure or abnormal liver tests should discuss testing and vaccination/treatment with a clinician.
Vaccination does not stop after childhoodAdult Vaccination
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Adult Vaccination
Tap to learn prevention & warning signsAdults can remain susceptible to vaccine-preventable infections because immunity may wane, childhood doses may be incomplete, or new risks may arise with age, pregnancy, occupation, travel or chronic disease.
- Keep a personal vaccination record and review it periodically with a healthcare professional.
- Common adult vaccines may include influenza, COVID-19, Td/Tdap, hepatitis B, pneumococcal, shingles and others depending on age, health conditions, occupation, pregnancy, travel and national guidance.
- Do not assume every vaccine is suitable for everyone; timing and contraindications vary.
- Adults with chronic heart/lung/kidney disease, diabetes, immune suppression, pregnancy, older age or occupational exposure may need a tailored vaccine plan.
Ask your doctor or vaccination clinic for an age- and risk-based adult immunization review rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all schedule.
Act immediately after occupational blood exposureNeedle-Stick Injury
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Needle-Stick Injury
Tap to learn prevention & warning signsA used needle or sharp contaminated with blood can potentially expose a person to HIV, hepatitis B or hepatitis C. Splash exposure to eyes or mucous membranes may also be relevant.
- Immediately wash a needlestick/cut with soap and water. Flush eyes or mucous membranes with plenty of water.
- Do not aggressively scrub, squeeze the wound or apply bleach/caustic chemicals. Report the exposure immediately.
- Urgent risk assessment should consider the type of exposure, source testing and the exposed person’s HBV vaccination/immunity. HIV PEP is time-sensitive; there is no recommended HCV PEP, so follow-up testing is important.
- Any significant needlestick, sharp injury or blood splash to eyes/mouth should be reported even if the wound looks small.
- PEP decisions are most useful when made promptly.
Treat a significant occupational exposure as urgent: report it and seek medical evaluation immediately, ideally within hours.