Healthcare workers had just breathed a sigh of relief after the coronavirus pandemic, which had overwhelmed hospitals for over a year, finally abated when the mosquito-borne dengue disease reared its head again.
Feverish patients are yet again flocking to already overburdened hospitals. Ludhiana alone has 1,789 confirmed cases, 4,587 suspected dengue cases and 10 suspected deaths. The figures are in the ballpark of the 2015 dengue epidemic, when 1,876 confirmed dengue cases had been reported.
Dengue cases had seemed to be in control before September, when the cases had first started spiking. However, in October, the cases had spiralled out of control, with the district logging 1,100 fresh cases, against 151 in September, 23 in August, eight in July, and two in June.
Come December, there has been a dip in dengue cases in rural areas, while cases continue to be reported from the city. Out the 1,789 cases confirmed cases, 1,322 cases have been reported from the city. A medical officer, requesting anonymity, attributes this to higher population density in urban areas, and residents’ lackadaisical approach towards hygiene, which allowed fresh water to accumulate in and around their houses.”
The medical officer said residents were reluctant in letting the health department teams check their houses for larvae after an outbreak.
{{/usCountry}}The medical officer said residents were reluctant in letting the health department teams check their houses for larvae after an outbreak.
{{/usCountry}}Dengue wing staffer gets infected
The health department’s failure to mitigate the crisis can be gauged from the fact that a healthworker attached with the dengue wing had to be hospitalised after contracting the infection.
It was only after the staffer fell sick that larvae were destroyed from the office of the health department in Civil Lines.
A medical officer with the health department said the eggs of aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which are vectors for the dengue disease, can survive for a very long time. “When the conditions get favourable, these eggs sprout and spread the virus. This was seen this year, after late rainfall allowed the mosquitoes to breed,” he said.
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Increased testing behind spike in figures: Civil surgeon
Civil surgeon Dr SP Singh says rise in the number of confirmed cases, indicated more testing. “We have asked private hospital authorities and members of the Indian Medical Association to share the details of patients testing positive in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test, a parameter to detect dengue. The data should be known so that timely treatment and preventative measures can be taken to prevent the spread of the virus.”
The health department has said that though a fall in the mercury has led to a dip in the number of cases, it has urged residents to not lower their guard and follow the guidelines issued by the health department.