84 fresh dengue cases in district; total count 622

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, December 5

Contrary to the claims of the district Health Department, there is a sharp increase in dengue cases in the district. As many as 622 positive cases of dengue, which were 538 till two weeks ago, have been reported in the district this season so far. Officials of the Health Department said with a dip in temperatures there was a decline in the number of cases and only four to five dengue cases were reported in the district in the last one week.

Though the district Health Department officials claimed that there was a significant decline in the number of dengue patients in the district, the ground reality tells a different tale.

As per Health Department records, there were 538 confirmed dengue patients in the district as on November 23. After a lapse of around two weeks, the number has reached 622, registering an increase of 84 new dengue patients in just two weeks. Earlier in November, 38 fresh dengue cases surfaced in a single day in the district.

Talking to Bathinda Tribune, Civil Surgeon Amrik Singh Sandhu said, “As there has been a dip in temperatures, there has been a significant decline in the number of dengue patients in the district. After crossing the 150-mark in the district, no fresh malaria cases have been reported now. Our next focus is tackling Swine flu patients in the district as the H1N1 virus usually get active around this time.”

There is one confirmed death due to dengue recorded in the district this season. Another dengue patient is suspected to have died due to the virus (to be verified by the review committee).