Health dept directs hospitals to increase testing for vector-borne diseases

The health department has collected about 489 samples at their flu clinics. So far, only a single case of malaria has been detected while zero dengue cases have been detected

The district health department directed all private hospitals to notify suspected cases of vector-borne diseases for surveillance and case management, while increasing sample collection for timely detection of malaria and dengue.

MCG has been directed to increase anti-larvicidal activities in areas prone to waterlogging. (HT Archive)

According to senior officials, each private hospital has been notified to test at least 12 samples of suspected cases this year. The health department, on the other hand, has collected about 489 samples at their flu clinics. So far, only a single case of malaria has been detected while zero dengue cases have been detected.

“Both government and private hospitals have been directed to increase the sampling of the suspected case as it is the time when cases of malaria and dengue cases begin to emerge. Sample collection will be increased in some hotspot areas where cases were detected in the last few years,” Dr Sudha Garg, deputy civil surgeon for vector-borne diseases, said.

A meeting was also held between the deputy civil surgeon and deputy commissioner Yash Garg on Tuesday evening to discuss the Covid-19 pandemic and changing weather conditions.

At least 48 cases of malaria were reported in 2017, 30 in 2018, 15 in 2019 and four in 2020. The health department collected over 190,940 blood samples from January till August to identify cases. In the case of dengue, at least 66 cases were reported in 2017, while 93 were reported in 2018, 22 in 2019 and 51 in 2020.

The deputy commissioner also directed the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram for residual spray and larvicidal activities on a large scale, including in all slum areas, industries and construction sites. The Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) was asked to do GIS mapping of all water bodies and hotspot areas from past data.

Sultan Singh, head, GIS mapping, GMDA, said, “Since 2016, we have been identifying hotspots which have helped in controlling the spread of vector-borne diseases. Areas in old Gurugram are prone to malaria and dengue. Other areas like Chakkarpur and Palam Vihar are also equally vulnerable due to frequent waterlogging. Based on the heat map prepared by the GMDA, other departments like MCG and health department conduct spraying and sample collection.”