180 dengue cases in district

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 3

A sudden spurt in the number of dengue patients has been reported in the district with officials confirming 180 positive cases so far. Officials say the problem will end in a few days with a further dip in temperature.

Talking about the sudden increase in cases, Dr Madan Mohan, District Epidemiologist, said, “In the latest figures, around 50 patients from Baba Bakala have been added. Though they live on the premises of a religious sect at Subanpur in Kapurthala, they will be counted as Amritsar patients as they are natives of Baba Bakala.”

The department has also intensified fogging across the city. “We are conducting fogging in the areas from where positive cases have been reported. The responsibility to conduct fogging in the city is that of the MC,” said Dr Madan.

The district had reported a total of 222 dengue positive cases in the previous year. In 2016, the district had reported a whopping number of 1,358 patients. “We have managed to check the spread of disease by creating awareness. The figure of patients this year and those of the last few years clearly show it,” said the official.

According to health officials, temperature decline has already started and it will continue. “We hope that by November 15, the chill will be sufficient to render dengue virus ineffective,” he added.