Mosquitoes/Dengue Fever a problem in Philippines?

[YoucancallmeAl]

How bad are the mosquitoes in PH?
And is Dengue Fever common for foreigners?
If so, how do you protect yourself from mosquitoes in PH w/o smelling like toxic chemicals?
I really really do not want to catch Dengue when I spend 8 months there.

[momopi]

How bad are the mosquitoes in PH?
And is Dengue Fever common for foreigners?
If so, how do you protect yourself from mosquitoes in PH w/o smelling like toxic chemicals?
I really really do not want to catch Dengue when I spend 8 months there.

When you go to foreign countries, the local mosquitoes will look at you like a plate of delicious exotic meal. You can bring a bottle (or tube) of insect repellent with you, but don't buy the aerosol spray can.

[ladislav]

Yeah, that is true. You will be even more popular with mosquitoes than with the young ladies there. I got something like dengue several times but it could have just been food poisoning. Garlic repels mosquitos but it also repels people. You may try those no smell garlic capsules- I have been looking into taking those. I have not heard of foreigners dying from dengue or getting serilously ill with it or getting malaria. Depends on the immune system, I guess.

[The_Adventurer]

I've heard rumors that black people, because of sickel-cell, are immune, or at least resistant, to malaria. I've certainly never had a problem with mosquitos or dengue, even if the girl I am sleeping next too gets eaten alive.

I found a simple solution. This little plug in the wall thing for like $3 that wipes them all out. You get it at Ace Hardware and it lasts for almost a month. Mosquitos there are exceptionally slow. If you see one, they are easy to catch and squash. Also use fans instead of aircon. Mosquitos are light weight and usually cannot pass through an area covered by a fan. Also you will become better adapted to the temperatures in the Philippines so that you don't get sweaty or want to pass out when you step outside.