Noida dengue count at four, district hospital starts free check-ups

Four people in Gautam Budh Nagar district are infected with dengue and one with chikungunya, it was confirmed on Thursday after the district hospital began a free check-up of suspected chikungunya patients.

Four people in Gautam Budh Nagar district are infected with dengue and one with chikungunya, it was confirmed on Thursday after the district hospital began a free check-up of suspected chikungunya patients.

Dengue-causing mosquito breeds in stagnant water.(Sunil Ghosh/HT File Photo)

“Four people tested positive for dengue, and one for chikungunya during the district hospital’s check up on Thursday,” said Dr Vijay Deepak Verma, chief medical officer of the health department.

The health department on Wednesday decided to provide free testing for chikungunya at the district hospital in the wake of the rising number of suspected cases of mosquito-borne diseases.

Hundreds of patients thronged the hospital early on Thursday morning to get tested. Of the 18 patients who were checked for chikungunya, one was found positive.

“Chikungunya is detected only after five-six days of prolonged fever. Therefore, only such patients were checked who have had fever for over five days. The patient who has chikungunya is being treated in the hospital. We are expecting more patients from tomorrow,” said Dr HM Lavania, senior pathologist, district hospital.

Several patients and their relatives were seen complaining about the lack of sufficient wards for suspected patients. “We have come all the way from Jewar for checkup and have been waiting for over two hours to get registered. My nephew is burning with fever since the last two days. I am scared that he might not get treated in time,” said Mohammad Kazi, a native of Jewar.

Hundreds of people with viral fever have thronged the district hospital for checkup in the last one week, making it difficult for the hospital staff to attend to all of them. The district administration has asked the doctors and nursing staff to increase their duty time in the wake of the rising number of cases.