Dengue, chikungunya cases soar amid strict vigil

Tribune News Service

Patiala, October 11

Even though the Health Department and Patiala Municipal Corporation are on their toes to control the outbreak of dengue and chikungunya, the number of dengue cases has gone up to 375 and chikungunya to 46. 

The Health Department has already deployed rapid response teams as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of the diseases to other areas.

District epidemiologist Gurmanjeet Kaur informed that the department had already got fogging done in the city and the affected persons were getting treatment at the Government Rajindra Hospital and other health centres. 

She further informed that the situation was under control and the cases being reported were not very serious. Meanwhile, the Health Department teams are visiting city areas to spread awareness about the ways to tackle the diseases.  

Dengue, a mosquito-borne tropical disease, is causes by a virus. Its symptoms begin appearing three to fourteen days after contracting infection. Its symptoms include high fever, headache, vomiting, muscle and joint pain. 

The symptoms of chikungunya include fever after exposure to the virus. Fever usually lasts two to seven days while joint pain may last several weeks.