E-Paper
Dengue death toll climbs to 26 in Mohali
Mohali district has recorded 24 fatalities due to dengue in October alone while two people had succumbed to the virus in September
A day after three people succumbed to dengue in Mohali, the viral disease on Tuesday claimed two more lives in the district. The deceased have been identified as two females, aged 16 and 42, from Mataur village.
The death toll due to dengue has climbed to 26 this year, which is highest in at least a decade. As many as 24 fatalities have been recorded in October alone while two people had died in September. The highest toll in a day stood at four earlier this month.
The mosquito-borne infection had claimed eight lives in 2018, and the toll stood at just one in the following two years.
The Mohali health authorities also confirmed 30 fresh cases, taking this year’s tally to 2,221. Only 471 cases were detected in 2020.
In the neighbouring Chandigarh and Panchkula, 42 and 23 new cases were reported, respectively. Of 696 cases confirmed in Chandigarh this year, 612 cases have been reported in October alone. In Panchkula, the year’s tally has reached 491. While Chandigarh has reported three deaths this year, Panchkula has recorded none.
Rising cases in Dera Bassi
To assess the situation due to the rising number of dengue fever in Dera Bassi subdivision, district epidemiologist Dr Vikrant Nagra visited the high-risk villages of Kuranwala, Saidpura, Mubarakpur and Bhankharpur on Tuesday.
Dera Bassi town and its surrounding villages account for around 60% of cases confirmed in the district.
Dr Nagra said that during the visit, the team found a lot of plastic waste, such as carry bags, empty bottles and disposable glasses, and stagnant water at various places in the villages. He said empty bottles, glasses and other plastic waste collect rainwater in which mosquitoes breed.
The health officials also inspected village ponds. Meanwhile, arrangements were made to carry out anti-larvae spraying. Dr Nagra said that according to the villagers, the spraying was not carried out in the villages. He also appealed to the villagers to dispose of plastic waste as soon as possible, and said people can contact the health department’s helpline number 104 for any information.
