Japanese encephalitis threat

Harshraj Singh
Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, October 30

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A team of the state Health Department has found a ‘huge’ amount of culex mosquito larva which transmits Japanese encephalitis (an infection of the brain) and West Nile virus to humans, in stagnant water at separate locations in the city.

A team, led by Dr Anu Chopra, State Programme Officer, National Vector Borne Diseases Control Programme, inspected Dhandari Khurd areas, including New Durga Colony, Jagdish Nagar and Prem Nagar, in Ward 28 today.

Two children (both girls) of New Durga Colony at Dhandari Khurd had died of dengue last week. The death reports were issued by the hospitals where they were admitted. The Health Department did not confirm any dengue death. However, its teams conducted a survey in the ward areas in the wake of the girls’ death.

The health officials claimed that they had found no larva of aedes aegypti mosquito (which spreads dengue) in the stagnant water on the roads and plots in the Dhandari Khurd area. However, they did find the larvae of culex mosquito. There has been a major problem of overflowing sewers in many parts of Ward 28 for a long time due to which dirty water is getting accumulated on roads and in vacant plots.

The District Epidemiologist, Dr Ramesh Bhagat, said: “A huge amount of culex larvae has been found in stagnant water on the roads and plots. We have asked the civic body to take immediate steps for its removal. The culex mosquito transmits Japanese encephalitis, also called brain fever, to humans. However, no such case has been reported,” said Dr Bhagat.

Meanwhile, the local residents told the officials that they had been suffering from various health problems due to unsanitary conditions for more than past two years.

Dr Chopra said: “We have found no confirmed dengue case. The suspected death cases are being reviewed.” She said: “We have asked the residents to visit the local Civil Hospital for proper treatment. The dengue test is conducted free of cost at the Civil Hospital.”

Protests fail to wake up MC

To lodge their protest against the choked sewers and unsanitary conditions, the residents of Dhandari Khurd in Ward 28 had dumped garbage and sewage at the Zone B office near Shingar Cinema in August 2018. The local councillor, along with residents, had also staged a protest at the MC office in September last year. The overflowing sewers is a major problem in New Durga Colony, Jagdish Nagar, Prem Nagar, Dhandari Khurd and adjoining areas. 

20 vehra owners challaned 

As the threat of disease outbreak looms large over the area, Mayor Balkar Singh Sandhu, along with MC officials, visited Dhandari Khurd on Wednesday. Superintending Engineer Rajinder Singh said they had issued challans to the owners of 20 vehras for causing unsanitary conditions. Sandhu said necessary measures were being taken to resolve the problem of overflowing sewers. He said proper fogging was being carried out in the area.

Self-styled doctors keep clinics closed

A large number of self-styled doctors running clinics at Dhandari Khurd and adjoining areas kept their places closed during the health team’s visit. The senior medical officer from Sahnewal visited a laboratory-cum-drug store at Dhandari Khurd and found around 10 patients were put on intravenous drip. However, the laboratory staff could not produce their educational certificates.