Dengue, malaria surge: Faridabad records over 160% rise in one month

With over 160 per cent hike in the number of dengue and malaria cases in the past one month, vector-borne diseases have registered a sharp increase in the city. Due to excessive rain, waterlogging and stagnation of water are claimed to have led to the surge in such incidence.

With as many as 33 cases of dengue and 14 cases of malaria confirmed so far, the number of suspected cases, according to sources, has crossed 200 in the Health Department. More than 1,040 notices have been served for detection of mosquito larvae in various parts of the city. Reportedly, majority of the patients have reported in private hospitals or clinics.

The malaria control cell here has collected more than 5,000 blood samples of the patients, who had fever in the past about eight weeks. While the number of positive cases of dengue and malaria had been at 10 and eight last month, a total of five cases — dengue (3) and malaria (2) — surfaced in July, this year. Besides the collection of blood samples in the suspected cases, the department has paced up the issuing of notices to the inhabitants on the detection of mosquito larvae, said an official of the Health Department.  Admitting that there is a surge in the number of patients with fever, the official said the department has already collected around 1.50 lakh slides of blood samples for tests since January 1, this year.

Describing the poor cleanliness and civic conditions developed due to waterlogging, a major factor behind the rise, an official said stagnation of rainwater for more than 24 hours could result in the breeding of the mosquito larvae in both the urban and rural areas. The departments concerned have been asked for measures to contain the menace of waterlogging caused mainly by rains and inefficient drainage, it is claimed.

Meanwhile, the malaria wing of the Health Department is reported to be faced with acute shortage of staff. It has only 119 employees against a total of 173 posts, including around 29 Multi-Purpose Health Workers (MPHW) against the sanctioned 134 posts. Two posts of senior malaria inspector and four posts of lab technician are lying vacant.

Dr Ram Bhagat, Deputy CMO and in-charge malaria, said fogging and spraying of chemicals in stagnant water sources had also been taken up, besides the department had set up a special ward for dengue positive cases in the civil hospital. The vacant posts in the department are likely to be filled soon, he said.