355 dengue cases in district so far

Aparna Banerji
Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, October 13

As many as 355 cases of dengue have been reported in the district this year. While over 40 cases were reported in the past one week alone, despite the recent dip in temperature, the health authorities said no let-up was expected in the cases for at least a month, til the temperatures dip a bit further.

As many as 12 cases of malaria have also been reported in the district.

Notably, the cases of dengue continue to pour in despite area-wise fogging carried out by the Municipal Corporation earlier this year and regular joint challaning drives of corporation and health teams, which have so far challaned at least 62 establishments, most of them residences. The health teams also raided residences at the Rasta Mohalla today and found many utensils lying in the open with water accumulated in them.

So far, the majority of the cases in the city have been reported from areas such as Dakoha, Shaheed Babu Labh Singh Nagar, Rattan Nagar and Amar Nagar. Though earlier this year, two suspected dengue deaths were also reported in the district, the Health Department has said dengue was not the reason behind their deaths. Other health complications in the patients had caused their demise.

District Epidemiologist Satish said: “While there is a steady stream of dengue cases being reported in the district with the decrease in the temperature, the cases are expected to come down. At present, dengue and viral fever cases are among the most common ones being reported at the Civil Hospital.”

“Meanwhile, we are holding regular drives to destroy dengue larvae in various areas. We are also holding programmes at schools and distributing pamphlets among students and other residents, making them aware of causes and hazards of Dengue,” he said.

A patient of a new disease, scrub typhus, was reported in the city for the first time a few days ago while the disease is common in hilly areas. It is caused by a patient bitten by a mite which breeds on the ground, also referred to as grass mites. The bite causes a high-grade fever and scars.

The Epidemiologist said: “While the disease is not common here, this is the first case we have found. A resident of Cantt area was found to be suffering from it.”