Not just Delhi, other states stung by dengue bite as well

From Kolkata to Chennai, and Bhubaneswar to Bhopal, the fear of dengue is beginning to bite in varying degrees.

From Kolkata to Chennai, and Bhubaneswar to Bhopal, the fear of dengue is beginning to bite in varying degrees.

In most hospitals wards designated for dengue patients are full. While in some patients are sharing beds, others have no space to accommodate more and turning away patients. (Saumya Khandelwal/HT Photo)

While dengue in Delhi hogs the media headlines, the situation is as bad in several other states. According to the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme, Karnataka has reported more than 3,000 cases this year till September with 4 deaths while Kerala reported 19 deaths out of 2,985 cases in the same period. In Tamil Nadu, there have been more than 2,400 cases and five deaths already.

Sukma district and capital Raipur in Chhattisgarh have accounted for about 400 cases, while Kolkata in West Bengal reported 79 cases.

Odisha, meanwhile, has had 545 cases and Andhra Pradesh 1,633 cases with several unconfirmed reports of deaths.

According to Kerala’s health services director S Jayashankar, the disease is now under control in most districts, except some areas in north Kerala.

Officials in other states claim the situation is far from alarming. “The situation is being managed much better now,” said K Kolandisamy, the director of public health in Tamil Nadu. On Sunday, TN health minister asked officials to step up fumigation and check mosquito breeding.

In Kolkata, civic authorities say they had launched an awareness campaign. “I see no reason for panic. But there is nothing to be complacent about and our teams are on high alert,” Kolkata mayor Sovan Chatterjee told HT.

Posters listing out the dos and don’ts to fight dengue have been put up across the city. Three LED vans are criss-crossing the city showing a 30-minute documentary on how best to prevent dengue.

The Madhya Pradesh government has set up dengue testing facilities at district-level hospitals. In Odisha, free treatment for patients of dengue has been arranged in every district hospital. Critical patients are being provided free intensive treatment in the state capital and three other medical colleges, state director of public health K C Dash said.

(With inputs from Kolkata, Chennai, Raipur, Thiruvananthapuram, Bhubaneswar and Bhopal)