Dengue stings 99 in P’kula dist

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, August 28

The number of cases of dengue in Panchkula district has reached 99, nearly double the number (52) recorded during the corresponding period last year.

As of date, the Health Department has not record any death due to dengue in the district, but sources claimed that a 25-year-old woman had died of the disease at a private hospital here.

After holding a meeting of the inter-sectoral committee for dengue today, Additional Deputy Commissioner Sachin Gupta issued directions for carrying out fogging and related activities.

Officials said people should take precautionary measures.

As per the data collected from the department, the highest (33) cases have been recorded in pockets of urban Panchkula, followed by 26 in the Surajpur area government hospital, 17 each in Pinjore and Old Panchkula, three in Kalka and one in Nanakpur.

They said a whopping 75 of the total 99 patients fell in the age group of 16 to 45 years, followed by 11 aged above 45, 10 in the age group of six to 15 years and three below five years of age.

Chief Medical Officer Mukta Kumar said, “This is a sharp rise in the number of cases. We have been on our toes regarding this for long and related activities are going on.”

Additional Deputy Commissioner Sachin Gupta today presided over a meeting regarding prevention of fever (dengue, malaria and chikungunya) and vaccination of children. He directed the Municipal Corporation, Panchkula, and the Municipal Council, Kalka, to carry out fogging in the district expeditiously.

He said the departments needed to complete their respective actions to prevent dengue, malaria, chikungunya and other vector-borne diseases. He also appealed to residents to clean their homes and surrounding areas properly so that mosquitoes do not breed there.

The official also instructed the Education Department that students should come to schools wearing full-sleeve shirts and pants. “All schools should submit an action-taken report on this instruction,” he said.

The ADC also directed the Health Department to conduct a survey with the teams of the two civic bodies at places where they had issued notices after identification of dengue larvae. “Those found violating the directions of keeping the surroundings clear of stagnant water should be challaned,” he said. He also issued different directions to urban local bodies, HSVP, public health and engineering wings in the regard.

Deputy Civil Surgeon Meenu Sasan, Deputy Civil Surgeon Sandeep Jain, Pinjore SMO Rajesh, AYUSH Department AMO Vikramjit Sharma and other officials were present on the occasion.

Later in the day, the Health Department along with a team of the MC carried out an awareness drive and fogging in the city.