Dengue in June how worried should I actually be and what genuinely prevents it

Public health physician on the dengue programme so the calibrated version you asked for The risk is real and worth respecting not fearing dengue is endemic and the monsoon does increase it because the rains leave standing water where the Aedes mosquito breeds the southwest gets this in your June window The crucial behavioural fact this mosquito is a DAYTIME biter peak activity is early morning and late afternoon not the night this matters because travellers protect themselves at night against the wrong mosquito and leave the dengue hours uncovered Prevention that genuinely works repellent yes but the right kind DEET or picaridin based the picaridin is gentler on skin for all day use apply in the morning and again late afternoon cover the daytime hours wear long light layers at dawn and dusk when sitting at open air restaurants and choose accommodation with screens or air conditioning the mosquito dislikes moving cool air At the accommodation scale empty standing water around you the breeding is in clean still water not drains pots saucers under plants the mosquito breeds within meters of where it bites The early symptoms not to ignore sudden high fever severe headache pain behind the eyes joint and muscle ache (the old name was breakbone fever) and sometimes a rash if you develop high fever lasting more than a day SEE A DOCTOR do not just take paracetamol and wait and critically AVOID ibuprofen and aspirin they worsen dengue bleeding risk use only paracetamol for fever The reassurance most dengue is self limiting with rest and fluids the danger sign phase is when the fever DROPS around day three to five and warning signs appear severe abdominal pain persistent vomiting bleeding gums get to a hospital immediately if those appear the government and private hospitals manage dengue expertly it is their daily work