Less potent type-3 dengue strain circulating in city

NEW DELHI: The less virulent type3 strain of dengue is in circulation in Delhi this season, which means few hospitalisations due to the mosquito-borne viral infection.

NEW DELHI: The less virulent type3 strain of dengue is in circulation in Delhi this season, which means few hospitalisations due to the mosquito-borne viral infection.

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“The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has isolated the dengue strain and it is the less potent type-3, which doesn’t cause the deadly dengue haemorrhagic fever or shock syndrome,” said CK Mishra, secretary (health), government of India.

While 311 dengue cases have been reported in the city so far, less than 1% needed hospitalisation. The government so far has reported only two dengue deaths.

“We haven’t had patients requiring blood transfusion. Most of those infected have had self-limiting symptoms that were taken care of with paracetamol and adequate hydration, which says that the weaker strain is in circulation this year,” said Dr Atul Gogia, senior consultant, department of internal medicine, Ganga Ram Hospital.

Another mosquito-borne viral infection— chikungunya — however is spreading rapidly in Delhi this year, with municipal corporations confirming 20 cases so far.

“Technical experts tell us chikungunya will be at the peak of its 6-8 year cycle this year,” said Mishra.

It is a debilitating, though not life-threatening, disease with patients showing symptoms similar to dengue. Typical symptoms include high-grade fever, excruciating joint pain, joint swelling, head and body ache.

The government is looking for ways to streamline reporting of dengue numbers as it comes under a lot of flak for discrepancies in data.