Fresh chikungunya, dengue cases reported in Bathinda

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, October 24

As many as 80 cases of dengue and around 30 cases of chikungunya were reported in the last few weeks in Bathinda. The Health Department, Bathinda, claims to have launched a continuous drive to prevent the diseases from spreading. Besides, the department has claimed that it had been spreading awareness among the masses.

However, the number of dengue cases, in comparison to last year, is far less. But, in the beginning of the winter season, the temperature is suitable for the breeding of misquotes.

This year, the Bathinda Municipal Corporation (MCB) started fogging in the last week of July, but the rainy season began in May. The MCB, then, maintained that it got late in fogging due to a shortage of medicine as they were facing a paucity of funds.

Every Friday is observed as a dry day while the department claims that under its massive awareness campaigns, people were made aware of the causes of dengue. The department said pamphlets were distributed in all towns and cities of Bathinda district and also instructed the residents not to let water remain stagnant in open areas, especially in cans, and clean their coolers every week. The civic body claims that fogging is being done in and around the houses of dengue patients.

Earlier, the officials of the Health Department said they had been conducting a door-to-door campaign in all blocks of Bathinda district, including Goniana, Rama, Rampura phul, Talwandi Sabo, Maur, Sangat, Nathana, Bhucho, and Bathinda urban, besides all 50 wards of the city.

In June last year, dengue had spread its wings in Goniana town while later, it spread, with the district reporting the highest number of dengue cases.

More than 2,017 cases were reported positive while half a dozen deaths were also reported, but the Health Department didn’t agree with the data regarding the deaths.

Dr RS Randhawa, Civil Surgeon, Bathinda, said, “Of 492 cases, there are about 80 cases of dengue positive. Around 30 cases of chikungunya also tested positive but the figure is not alarming. This year, dengue is under control in Bathinda as our teams have done hard work in the last one year to counter this menace. Awareness campaigns and ‘Friday as dry day’ drive have killed dengue larva at a large level in the last one year. Fines were also imposed to create awareness among the masses. Chikungunya and dengue have the same symptoms while in chikungunya, the patients also feel pain in joints, bones and rashes sometimes.