Dengue cases more than double in 17 days

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 5

There is no respite from dengue in the state as the number of patients has more than doubled from 1,217 cases on October 17 to 2,534 on November 3.

According to the Health Department figures, 2,534 positive cases of dengue have been reported in the state against 1,996 cases during the corresponding period last year.

What is worrisome is that of these cases, more than 2,000 have come to the fore in the past 45 days.

Sources say the actual number of dengue patients is higher. As the health authorities recorded only those cases that tested positive in government laboratories through ELISA or NS1 Antigen tests, a large number of cases go unreported.

The department figures do not show any death due to dengue in the state, though media reports show that at least 10 persons have died due to the disease.

According to the official records, the maximum number of 352 cases have been reported in Hisar district, followed by Rohtak 334, Ambala 260, Fatehabad 253, Panipat 198, Panchkula 173, Rewari 136, Kaithal 129, Faridabad 112, Sirsa 92, Jhajjar, 90, Kurukshetra 82, Jind 72, Karnal 60, Gurugram 54, Sonepat 52, Yamunanagar 41, Bhiwani 38, Mahendergarh and Palwal 3 each.

No case has been reported from Nuh district.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court had recently taken suo moto notice of the rising dengue cases in Haryana and served a notice on the Health Department.

The sources say the department submitted an affidavit before the court, listing steps taken to control the disease.

Principal Secretary (Health) Amit Jha said the department had taken effective steps, including fogging in rural and urban areas and anti-larval activities, for the control of dengue.

He added the department is educating people to keep their surroundings clean and not allow water to stagnate as mosquito responsible for dengue breeds in clean water, normally in households.

District Dengue cases

Hisar              352 
Rohtak              334
Ambala              260
Fatehabad      253
Panipat              198
Panchkula      173
Rewari                136
Kaithal              129
Faridabad      112
Sirsa                  92
Jhajjar                90
Kurukshetra         82
Jind                 72
Karnal                 60
Gurugram         54
Sonepat           52
Yamunanagar 41
Bhiwani 38
Mahindergarh 3
Palwal                   3
Nuh                 0