in female anopheles mosquitoes. One is infected with malaria when one is bitten by mosquitoes.
Symptoms of Malaria include chills, fever and sometimes hallucinations.
If left untreated malaria will kill.
Malaria breeds where there are stagnant water. In Lagos Nigeria for instance, the mosquitoes there leave reddish lesions on the skin. Sometimes painful when scratched.
The scary fact is that you must have malaria even when bitten by only one mosquito.
How can you protect yourself and family from mosquito bites?
Mosquito repellents or insecticides sold in stores help to kill the existing mosquitoes but it does not mean you will not be bitten again after spraying insecticides in your home.
So maintaining a clean habit is very important.
You need to ensure you have a clean and dry environment to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.
In areas where there are scarcity of water, people store water in huge drums which are normally left outside. Sometimes the water sits in the drums for weeks. This will attract mosquitoes.
Sleeping with mosquito nets help but you should also ensure that the windows and doors have net coverings.
Doors should be kept closed as from 4pm in the evening since mosquitoes try to enter homes in the evenings knowing they have human blood to feed on at night.
Notice that in the morning as from 6 am, mosquitoes find a way to leave.
This sounds funny but that is what I have noticed as a Nigerian.
So make sure your doors are kept closed as from 4pm. Make sure all nets are in place.
Use available mosquito repellent creams when visiting areas that are prone to mosquito bites.
When visiting Lagos, apply the cream all over your exposed body - your legs, hands, neck area and face excluding eyes.
This will definitely protect you from being devoured by hungry mosquitoes.
Here are Natural ways to repel mosquitoes:
1. Plant lemon trees, citronella grass around your home. They are known to prevent mosquitoes.
2. There are also shrubs that repel mosquitoes like Mint, Tulsi and Basil
3. Lavender oil or plant also prevents mosquitoes
4. Garlic is a known mosquito repellant. It contains Allicin which repels mosquitoes.
Mash garlic and pour it into a sieve.
Sieve the liquid out and sprinkle it around your home.
You can also rub garlic all over your body.
Garlic has a pungent smell so this will repel mosquitoes but will also make you smell garlicky.
5. Another effective way is combining the same quantity of lemon oil and Eucalyptus. The mixture of these two form Cineole which is a very active mosquitoe repellant
6. Bee Balm does the job too
