E-Paper
Dengue in the time of Covid: PMC, hospitals geared up to deal with dual health challenge
We have enough staff and also we have floated tenders to buy insecticide for fumigation to control the spread of dengue and malaria, says Dr Sanjeev Wavare, the civic insecticide department chief
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is now looking at another health challenge, that of dengue in the light of the Southwest Monsoon forecast to hit Pune this week.
As city hospitals and laboratories are already burdened with Covid-19 cases, the monsoon-borne dengue disease brings a new challenge.
Dr Sanjeev Wavare, the civic insecticide department chief said, “We have enough staff and also we have floated tenders to buy insecticide for fumigation to control the spread of dengue and malaria. We have enough manpower and machinery. Most cases start coming in by July and so we will start spraying insecticide in high-risk areas. For corona we spray disinfectants and for dengue and malaria we spray insecticide, so we need difference chemicals for which we are prepared.”
As per data from PMC’s health department, in 2018 the city saw 2,943 suspected dengue cases of which, the NIV confirmed 682 samples and two deaths were reported.
In 2019, the number of suspected cases went up to 6,040, of which 1,407 were confirmed cases and 10 deaths were recorded.
In 2020, 123 suspected cases have been found as of March, of which seven were confirmed and no deaths have been reported as yet.
Dr Sunil Rao, group medical director, Sahyadri hospitals, said, “I think that the city hospitals will be able to take the load of dengue, malaria and Chikungunya cases, which are reported annually. Most of these infections are not so severe and those who come to the hospitals come only in case of severe infection. They will be treated in non-Covid-19 wards.”
Dr Rao did cite two cases of dual infection – dengue and Covid-19.
“Sahyadri has two cases - dengue and Covid-19 infections. Both these infections have no particular medicines and have to be treated based on symptoms. However, the hospitals will be able to tackle the situation efficiently and labs will be able to deliver, as the process of identification for dengue and Covid-19 is completely different,” Dr Rao said.
