Dengue spreads wings, cases cross 1,000-mark

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 12

The dengue outbreak in the state reached alarming proportion with the number of positive cases crossing the 1,000-mark as per government record.

Two deaths due to dengue have been confirmed. The actual number of positive cases may be two or three times more as no data is available regarding patients in private hospitals. The state chapter of the Indian Medical Association has asked all private hospitals to report dengue cases to the Health Department.

As per figures available with the department, there are 1,004 confirmed cases of dengue. Bathinda, the home district of the ruling Badals, tops the chart with 350 cases. Ludhiana with 111 is second while Patiala (70) and Jalandhar (69) are next on the list.

Last year, only 472 positive cases were reported. However, suggesting an alternate year pattern of the disease, over 4,000 patients of dengue were recorded in 2013 while in 2012, the number was 717.

Dr Gagandeep Singh Grover, State Programme Officer, Vector-Borne Diseases, said the number of patients had risen sharply this month due to early rain in July and August. “Normally, we record dengue cases in October and November more, but this time there is a sudden increase in September.”

He said the government was geared up to contain the outbreak. “We are offering free of cost treatment at government hospitals. Only the cost of blood transfusion is being charged,” he said.

He said as dengue mosquito bred more in clean water than in ponds or accumulated water outside, people should keep their immediate surroundings mosquito-free. “We have carried rounds of fogging, especially at suspected areas and places where a patient is reported. The alertness of the general public is more important as the mosquito breeds in flower pots, coolers, vases and accumulated AC water,” he said.

He said epidemiologists in all 22 districts were working round the clock to quarantine the suspected cases and provide them treatment, “We have been successful in checking the number of casualties due to timely action,” he claimed.