Dengue threat has been intensifying in Ludhiana, where two girls died last week due to the mosquito-borne disease. The team of health department officials are carrying out a survey and generating awareness among people in the area to prevent the spread of dengue.
The health department has not confirmed any death due to dengue so far this year, The Tribune reported.
The 10-year-old girl was diagnosed with severe dengue, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital said. While the four-year-old girl died in PGIMER, Chandigarh and the report showed that the cause of her death was dengue shock syndrome. The health department claimed that they have not received any reports from the concerned hospitals.
The health department officials have initiated a large scale drive to check the spread of mosquito-borne and water-borne diseases in the area. Fogging of insecticides was carried out in the streets and plots as well as empty plots in the area to kill mosquitoes and destroy the larvae that breeds in stagnant water.
The daily quoted District Epidemiologist Dr Ramesh Bhagat saying that fogging was carried out by the
health department on Sunday as well as on Monday at New Durga Colony. He further said that the teams are visiting the area and making people aware regarding the mosquito-borne and water-borne diseases.
As many as 228 people have tested positive for dengue in Ludhiana district till October 26, the report said.
Civil Surgeon Dr Rajesh Kumar Bagga said that the health department is committed to make Ludhiana district free of dengue, chikungunya and other vector-borne diseases.
Issuing an advisory for the same, Dr Bagga asked the officials of the health department to intensify the drive for checking the spread of vector-borne diseases in the district.
He further said that the vulnerable places where the larva of mosquitoes can breed easily must be identified and action must be taken immediately. He added that apart from checking drive, locals must be made aware of the breeding grounds of mosquitoes such as air-coolers, tea cups, old/worn out utensils among others.
Dengue is spread by bite of female mosquito Aedes aegypti that bites during early morning and in the evening before dusk. These disease spreading mosquitoes breed in stagnant water.
Initial symptoms of dengue include severe headache, high-grade fever which is often accompanied by nausea, fatigue, vomiting, rash, soaring of eyes, and pain in joint and muscles.
People witnessing any of these symptoms should visit to the nearby hospital and get the necessary blood tests done. Instead of self-medication, dengue patients should follow the directives prescribed by doctors.
According to the report, Dr Bagga said that dengue tests are being conducted free of cost at the Civil Hospital, Ludhiana, and the Civil Hospital, Khanna. He further said that doctors at private hospitals perform card test which is not approved as well as accepted by the Centre.
Panic struck residents of New Durga Colony and adjoining areas after a 10-year-old girl died of dengue on October 25 and the mosquito-borne disease claimed life of a four-year-old girl on October 21.
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