Two dengue cases confirmed in Gurgaon

The health department has confirmed two cases of dengue, the first this season, on Wednesday. As many as 22 suspected samples are being tested for the dengue virus.

The health department has confirmed two cases of dengue, the first this season, on Wednesday. As many as 22 suspected samples are being tested for the dengue virus.

After pre-monsoon showers, water has stagnated in several areas, increasing the chances of mosquitoes breeding. (HT File)

The infection has been contracted by two women, who are residents of Jharsa village and Jyoti Park. They have been sent home and are being treated by civil hospital doctors.

A health department official said the infection appears to have been transmitted locally, and civil hospital doctors have sent the blood samples of the two patients for further testing.

“The NS1 elisa test shows a positive result. The blood samples have been sent for the NS1 rapid antigen test, which takes time but has more accuracy,” Dr Kanta Goel, chief medical officer of civil hospital, said.

The patients were already given medication for dengue as they showed vital symptoms such as high fever, headache, nausea and appetite loss prior to the tests confirming that they are infected. Their condition is being monitored closely, a health department official said.

The district malaria office, which is the vector control department, has initiated various curative and preventive steps to control the spread of the virus. The measures include conducting awareness campaigns, door-to-door visits, identifying mosquito breeding centers, fogging, and setting up a separate dengue ward in the civil hospital.

Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) additional commissioner Amit Khatri has directed the sanitation department to carry out fogging in all four zones.The department carried out fogging in Sikanderpur area on Wednesday.

Following showers over the last few days, several areas are waterlogged and it could lead to the breeding of Aedes mosquito, the carrier of dengue virus. The health department is monitoring such areas and other water bodies and filling them with gambusia fish that eat mosquito larvae, an official said.

Last month, the district health authority had made it mandatory that private hospitals should not charge more than Rs 600 for a dengue test.

Last year, the city had reached a three-year high in dengue cases with the district health department registering 401 cases. In 2012, 375 cases were reported , while 175 were reported in 2013 and 86 in 2014.