Jaipur: City doctors suspecting the trend of reporting of dengue cases in summers as a result of possible change in genotype (genetic structure) of any of existing serotypes of dengue virus or emergence of new serotype. The dengue virus is surviving even in hostile weather conditions.According to WHO, there are 4 distinct, but closely related, serotypes of the virus that cause dengue (DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3 and DEN-4).However, health department has not yet taken any step to find out if there is any change in virus. A health department official accepted that dengue cases were reported in winters and also in summers this year, quite unusually, but he denied that they have sent samples to National Institute of Virology for its confirmation.The doctors pointed out that there must be a new genetic variant of the existing dengue virus which is victimising people in sultry and dry weather conditions. “Each virus has its character and it changes it according to environment and conditions. It is quite unusual that dengue cases are reported in the hospital in May and June. There must be some change in strain of dengue virus since it is unusual to report such cases even in summers. But, there is nothing to worry as it is not showing unusual complications for increasing mortality rate,” said Dr CL Nawal, senior professor and head of the department (medicine), SMS Hospital.He said that in the corresponding period last year, there were less than 80 cases of dengue reported till May (from January) but this year, at least 225 patients have already been admitted to the SMS Hospital for treatment of dengue.However, health department’s official report shows that cases of dengue have been reported in increased numbers. It shows that from March 12 to May 31, a total of 586 confirmed cases of dengue have been reported across the state. Out of those 586, there were 225 cases reported in Jaipur only. In the state, two persons have died this year due to dengue.

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