Noida: Authority yet to take measures to check dengue

The number of dengue cases is rising, but the authorities have hardly taken any concrete steps to check the outbreak.

The number of dengue cases is rising, but the authorities have hardly taken any concrete steps to check the outbreak.

Not even a single person has been fined so far for allowing dengue larvae to multiply on his/her premises. Chief medical officer Dr RK Garg said he had no authority to impose penalties unlike his counterparts in other states.

Conflicting reports regarding dengue-affected persons are emerging from the chief medical officer, the district hospital and Employees State Insurance Corporation Model Hospital.

Two suspected dengue deaths have taken place in the city and 126 confirmed cases have been reported by the district hospital this season so far. However, the malaria department maintains that there was no dengue casualty and only 87 confirmed dengue cases in the district till Tuesday.

The worst-hit areas include Sector 31, Sector 49, Sector 30, Sector 45, Sector 58, Mamura, Gijhod and Khora.

The confirmatory Elisa reader test, in which 90 samples are tested at one go, is performed later due to its prohibitive cost. Dr Garg had on September 9 issued a letter to the district hospital and all private hospitals directing them to conduct only Elisa tests as the rapid kit test was not authentic.

ESICM Hospital deputy medical superintendent Dr Pradeep Khanna said since the hospital did not have an Elisa reader, tests were performed on rapid kits.

About 10 days ago, we sent over 100 blood samples to the malaria department. But, the DMO stopped accepting samples from September 9. If a patient comes to us with dengue-like symptoms, we start treatment once the rapid test gives us a positive result.

Dr Garg said, "Of the 559 suspected cases from the district hospital, only 126 were confirmed by the Elisa test. Rapid test reports only help fuel panic."