Amid the surge in dengue cases with the authorities remaining focused to control it, another vector-borne disease malaria is also now surfacing in Dehradun. The district health authorities have so far reported 40 malaria cases though the experts say that the actual figure is much higher. Notably, the district had reported 58 cases of malaria last year.
The departmental data shows that in January this year, just one case of the disease was reported while no case came to light in February. The district health department reported one case each in March, April and May. Five patients of malaria were reported in June while the figure rose to eight and ten respectively in July and August.
The health department declared 13 cases of the disease in September this year. Interestingly, the department which appears more concerned to deal with dengue is taking malaria lightly. The health department officials admit that they do not keep day to day record of malaria and compile monthly data.
When contacted, the district vector- borne diseases officer Subhash Joshi said that the number of malaria cases in the district is showing a declining trend. “The good thing is that last year and till date this year, no case of Plasmodium Falciparum (PF) which is more dangerous has been reported. However, we are taking all measures to control the disease,’’ he said.
The department claims that the source reduction drive undertaken to curb the dengue menace is proving effective to control malaria too.
“Though the habit and habitat of vectors responsible for malaria and dengue are different source reduction and awareness drive is of help to contain both. This is evident from the lesser incidence of cases this year,’’ Joshi said.
Mention worthy, India has taken up the call of World Health Organisation (WHO) to eradicate malaria by the year 2030. Uttarakhand, on the other hand, has pledged to declare it malaria free by the year 2022.
Dengue cases cross 300 mark in Uttarakhand
The number of dengue-afflicted patients has crossed 300 on Friday with 25 new cases being reported by the district health department on the day. Now, the figure of the dengue- afflicted so far this season has mounted up to 305 in Uttarakhand. Twelve new cases have been reported on the day from Haridwar district after their samples were found positive in the Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) test.
In Tehri Garhwal district, the health department reported seven new cases of the disease while four cases have been reported from Dehradun district.
In Dehradun, 72 patients of the disease have so far been reported this season. The district vector- borne disease officer Dehradun Subhash Joshi said that the department is on an alert mode regarding the disease. He further said that the Asha workers and the department officials have been undertaking door to door surveys in the areas affected by the disease and asking people to take preventive measures against dengue.
Notably, the health department has also issued an advisory to all the schools to ensure that the children wear full sleeves to prevent exposure for mosquito bite. The schools have also been asked to undertake source reduction activity for destruction of breeding ground of the Aedes mosquito, responsible for the disease.
