Hospitals on alert as three test positive for dengue in Jammu

Sumit Hakhoo

Tribune News Service

Jammu, August 30

As three persons have tested positive for dengue in Jammu, the Health Department has alerted the hospitals in the region to keep a watch on the patients admitted on a daily basis and create isolation wards to deal with any eventuality.

A senior official of the Health Department said though the three patients were infected with the virus outside the state (two of them are working in Ludhiana and one in New Delhi and were visiting their families), the authorities were taking no chance, keeping in view the deadly nature of the dengue fever.

Tests of the three patients were carried out at Government Medical College and Hospital in Jammu.

Confirming the detection of three dengue cases, Director, Health, Dr Baljit Singh Pathania said the patients were out of danger and recovering. “We have not admitted them to hospital and they are recovering at their respective homes. We are monitoring their situation,” said Dr Pathania.

Officials said the Health Department had already identified vulnerable areas in Samba, Kathua, Jammu and parts of Rajouri district and measures were being taken and necessary testing kits being sent to the district hospitals.

The Director, Health, said: “We are prepared to deal with the situation. Testing kits have been already stocked at hospitals so that patients don’t have to depend on private clinics, adding to confusion. In the last two years, medical staff have been trained.”

The dengue fever is transmitted by Aedes aegypti, also known as the yellow fever mosquito, recognised by white stripes on its legs. It feeds almost exclusively on humans and remains active during the day.

Four persons had died of dengue in 2013 and 1,000 were tested positive in the Jammu region.