10 dengue cases in Gurugram keep Health Dept on its toes

Kulwinder Sandhu

Gurugram, June 27

At least 10 persons have been reported suffering from dengue in Gurugram district, the District Surveillance Officer of the Health Department Dr JP Singh confirmed here today. Two patients were confirmed suffering from dengue on Wednesday.

This has put the Health Department and civic authorities on alert to contain the disease by taking preventive measures. Singh said that no patient was admitted to the hospital. As many as 6 patients were treated at the OPD of government hospitals while the others got treatment at private hospitals.

Health officials said that a total of 7,09,452 houses had been visited by the rapid fever mass survey team to detect possible mosquito breeding sites till now. A total of 1,55,879 slides of blood samples have been prepared till now this year. On Thursday, 9,096 houses were visited, 635 slides of blood samples were prepared by the survey teams in the entire district.

Besides, 14 samples of blood were collected from the body of suspected patients on Thursday for analysis of dengue. A total of 469 samples of blood for dengue detection have been collected till date this year. The Health Department conducted rapid test for dengue analysis on 32 patients on Thursday, Dr JP Singh said adding that a total of 151 rapid tests had been conducted till now this year.

Meanwhile, 44 notices under Section 214 of the Municipal Bylaws Act, 1973, were issued on Thursday to house owners at whose premises mosquito larvae were found by the rapid fever mass survey team. So far, a total of 1,523 notices had been issued. The health officials have repeatedly requested the MC and other local bodies of the district to take preventive steps for mosquito breeding in their respective areas.

The health official added that a request had also been made to the local bodies to increase fogging activities in vulnerable areas to control the disease. Adding that the Health Department is taking all preventive measures to curb the spread of the vector borne disease, Dr JP Singh said that the department has also released gambusia fish seed in the water bodies to prevent the growth of mosquitoes. The gambusia fish eat mosquito larvae.

The Health Department has also set up special wards for dengue patients in the government hospitals at Gurugram, Sohna and Pataudi as the dengue season has begun with the coming of rains and high day temperature, which helps the dengue-causing aedes aegypti mosquito to thrive.

Poor civic amenities, with waterlogging and heaps of garbage lying on the roadsides and vacant plots, are adding to the worries of the health authorities.