Dengue count in Chandigarh breaches 700 mark

Naina Mishra

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 27

Dengue cases in the city crossed the 700 mark with 41 more cases recorded today.

With 653 cases, October accounted for 88.6 per cent of the total cases of dengue. Prior to that, 84 cases had surfaced in Chandigarh. Around 27 per cent of the total cases in the city are from other states.

Due to delayed rain in September this year, the “dengue season” has changed this year due to which cases have cropped up large numbers this month.

To prevent the spread, the Health Department claims to be taking preventive measures. In 2017, 1,951 cases of dengue were recorded, while the cases dipped to 301 in 2018 followed by 286 in 2019 and 265 in 2020.

A total of 8,713 notices and 458 challans have been issued till now. As many as 334 show-cause notices have also been issued to private and government institutions. The soaring dengue count has increased the demand for platelets in the city. There have been complaints about shortage of platelet kits in hospitals and the market, causing a delay in getting timely treatment. There is heavy inflow of dengue patients in emergency wards of hospitals.