*Talab Tillo, Paloura among major hotspots in urban areas
Govind Sharma
JAMMU, Sept 9: The dengue cases are on surge in Jammu and Kashmir as over 700 cases have been reported so far this year from various parts of the Union Territory with Jammu district topping the chart as more than 500 cases have been reported alone from Jammu district and most of them from urban areas while one death has also been reported due to the vector-borne disease.
Official sources told Excelsior that a total of 8338 tests for dengue have been conducted so far this year in J&K and out of which 733 reported positive. Elaborating more, sources said that out of total 733 positive cases, only 4 cases have been reported from Kashmir region while 3 cases of locals reported from other states/UTs. They said situation is in control this year as last year, the cases in 1st week of September had crossed the mark of 1000.
Giving district wise data, sources said that around 71 percent cases of dengue have been reported from Jammu district and a majority of the cases have been logged in urban areas, particularly Talab Tillo, Paloura, Channi Himmat and Sainik Colony. One death due to dengue was also reported last month from Talab Tillo area of Jammu, they said, adding, a total of 520 dengue cases have been reported from Jammu district, 72 each from Samba and Kathua districts, 22 from Udhampur, 14 from Rajouri, 10 each from Reasi and Poonch, 5 from Doda and 1 from Kishtwar district, so far this year.
Sources further informed that a total of 378 tests for dengue were conducted today in Jammu province and out of these 77 were found positive. They said the intensity of the Dengue spread in Jammu can be gauzed from the fact that out of 77 cases reported today, 52 belong to Jammu while only 11 cases were reported from Samba, 6 from Udhampur, 4 from Kathua, 2 from Rajouri and 1 from Poonch. Of the 77 cases, they said 68 were adults and 9 children.
They said last year, around 300 cases were reported along in 1st week of September but this year, this number is quite down. They further revealed that 34 cases were reported on September 3, 41 on September 4, 48 on September 5, 31 on September 6, 33 on September 7 and 16 on September 8. They said Health Department along with Jammu Municipal Corporation is taking all control measures to check rise in dengue cases.
Sources said the Department is doing everything from fogging to destroying breeding sites and creating awareness among public to control the dengue spread but public should also realize their responsibility and should not allow water to stagnate inside and outside their houses.
“Citizens should change water in flower pots/money plant pots and water-coolers after every 7 days and does not allow stagnation of water in scrap materials such as old tyres and cans on their roof top or neighbourhood as after 7 days, mosquito larvae starts developing in stagnant water,” they said adding, people should also prevent themselves from mosquitoes bites.
They claimed that the teams of Health Department are also doing fogging at residences and surrounding areas of those found affected with dengue, and if any breeding site is found nearby, it is destroyed by the field workers.
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