*Dengue starts wreaking havoc in J&K
Govind Sharma
JAMMU, Oct 14: After Novel Coronavirus, now the vector-borne disease ‘Dengue fever’ has started wreaking havoc in Jammu and Kashmir as two people have succumbed to the diseases in Jammu Division in last about 20 days while a total of 265 persons have been reported positive for the disease till Oct 13.
According to the reports, out of 265 Dengue cases, highest number of 187 cases has been reported from Jammu district, followed by 17 from Samba and 13 from Kathua while remaining 48 cases have been reported from other districts. Moreover, 2 patients affected with the vector-borne diseases have succumbed, one on September 28 and another on October 8. While the first one was an ATM guard from Sunderbani, another was a 31-year-old woman from Udhampur district, who had multiple co-morbidities.
After two deaths, the Health Department is on toes, particularly in Jammu district as more than 70 percent cases have been reported alone from Jammu and its peripheral areas and the number is rising fast. A large number of people with Dengue like symptoms are daily reporting in various Government Hospitals. From October 1-13, a record number of 138 Dengue cases have been reported in Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Jammu.
Official sources told Excelsior that in a single day on October 12, 61 people were found affected with Dengue in Medicine OPD of GMCH Jammu. They said out of these, 12 patients with mild symptoms were discharged after providing requisite treatment and prescribing medicines while 49 were under treatment in the Hospital.
State Malariologist, Dr Belu Sharma said that every year after monsoon season, some Dengue are reported but sudden rise in cases this season, particularly in Jammu district has increased their problems as the COVID-19 Pandemic is not yet over. She said that most of the Dengue cases have been reported in October.
“This season, we have already completed two rounds of fogging but the cases are still on rise. We are in touch with the Directorate of National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) on this grave situation and they have suggested us to do an extra round of fogging and we have started this in collaboration with Municipal authorities,” she said and added that the teams of Health Department are also doing fogging at residences and surrounding areas of those found affected with Dengue.
Dr Sharma informed that Dengue fever is transmitted by the bite of an Aedes mosquito which is a day-biter and symptoms of Dengue included sudden high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, severe joint and muscle pain, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, skin rash and mild bleeding (such a nose bleed, bleeding gums, or easy bruising).
“As there is no specific medicine to treat dengue infection, prevention is the best cure,” she said, adding, people should prevent themselves from mosquitoes bites and for this they may use mosquito repellents and may wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants. Further, they should get rid of places where mosquitoes can breed. These include old tires, cans, or flower pots where the rain water can accumulate.
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