4 dengue cases reported in Nawanshahr, DC asks residents to take precautions

Four dengue cases have been reported in Khoja Bet village (Balachaur), Barnala village, Bairsian village, and the local Shankar Market area in Nawanshahr.

Deputy Commissioner Ankurjeet Singh has urged residents to take strict precautions to prevent mosquito-borne diseases like dengue and malaria. He appealed to the public to ensure that there is no stagnant water in or around their homes and strictly follow Health Department guidelines.

Eight cases have been reported so far.

Providing data on dengue cases, the authorities said the district has recorded a total of eight cases this year. Three of these were reported in first three months in the year, followed by one in early June and four new cases recently.

"To ensure comprehensive prevention efforts, 50 larvae detection teams have been deployed across the district to inspect homes for mosquito breeding sites. Additionally, ASHA workers are actively spreading awareness across all 470 villages in the district," the Health Department authorities said.

Epidemiologist Dr Rakesh Pal added that students from local nursing colleges are also contributing significantly to the awareness drive. He reiterated the importance of not allowing water to accumulate around homes and advised regular cleaning and emptying of items like fridge trays and coolers.

He said fogging operations are being conducted by the Municipal Council in urban areas and by the Rural Development Department in villages to control mosquito populations.

Dr Pal explained that dengue fever often results in a drop in platelet count. "To aid recovery, he recommended the increased intake of fluids such as juices, coconut water and lemon water, along with proper medical care under a doctor’s supervision," he said.

Clean plots: DC

In view of the rising dengue cases, the district administration has appealed to owners of vacant plots to clean these regularly to prevent the breeding of dengue-carrying mosquitoes and larvae

As part of the “War on Dengue” campaign, the Deputy Commissioner emphasized the importance of observing dry day every Friday, during which water-holding containers like coolers, plant pots and refrigerator trays should be thoroughly dried and cleaned.

Speaking on dengue prevention, DC Ankurjeet Singh advised people to wear fully-covering clothing to minimise the risk of mosquito bites. He stressed the importance of regular and timely precautions and said the district administration and department teams to work in coordination to raise public awareness.

The DC reassured the public that free testing and treatment for dengue is available at the Civil Hospital, Nawanshahr and at 19 Aam Aadmi Clinics, including three in urban areas and 16 in rural parts of the district.