500 dengue cases in two weeks

Sumeer Singh
Tribune News Service
Bathinda, November 2

Nearly 500 dengue patients (suspected and confirmed cases) were reported in the past two weeks at the Civil Hospital in Bathinda.

Notably, as per the Health Department records, the total number of dengue patients this year has reached 1,357, of which 971 suspected and 386 are confirmed dengue cases in the district.

According to doctors at the medicine OPD of the Civil Hospital, there has been a significant increase in the number of dengue patients (suspected and confirmed) coming for treatment on daily basis these days.

The doctors added that till the first week of October, there were not many dengue patients visited them for treatment.

Talking to Bathinda Tribune, Dr Ramandeep Goyal said, “On an average, there have been 30 to 40 dengue patients (suspected and confirmed) coming for treatment on daily basis for past two weeks. In September and till mid October, we came across 10-15 dengue patients daily. But lately, the number of patients doubled.”

Dr Goyal added, “A majority of these are suspected dengue cases (mild symptoms such as fever coupled with decreased platelet count) and not all patients with confirmed dengue require critical care. Around 70 per cent of dengue patients visiting the Civil Hospital do not require critical care. It is advisable not to get panicky as dengue fever affects the patient for minimum four to five days. We just ask these patients to take medicines, proper diet and bed rest. Most preferably liquid diet and light easily digestible food is very important for a dengue patient.”

Rajpal Singh, district epidemiologist, said, “We are far better in terms of number of dengue patients as compare to other districts and a majority of patients are suspected cases. Through intensive field activity and surveys, we have found dengue larvae from 1,650 houses and destroyed them.”