Dengue claims 22 lives, 1,298 test positive in district this year

Tribune News Service

Nitin Jain

Ludhiana, December 29

The dreaded dengue fever, a mosquito-borne viral disease occurring in tropical and subtropical areas, is spreading its tentacles fast as 1,298 cases of the vector-borne disease have been confirmed in the district this year, the official figures have revealed.

While cases of malaria, a serious and sometimes fatal disease caused by a parasite that commonly infects a certain type of mosquito which feeds on humans, are under control, chikungunya, which is a viral disease transmitted to humans by infected mosquitoes, has also made a comeback with one positive case reported in Ludhiana so far, the Health Department has confirmed.

Till Friday, Ludhiana had recorded 22 deaths of dengue patients, of which 18 casualties had been reported from urban areas and four victims were from rural areas.

However, the graph of fresh cases has somehow dipped with the major fall in temperatures for the past fortnight.

This year’s confirmed cases so far have already crossed the 2022’s total count of 1,077.

While the tally of 2,575 suspected patients till date was much less than the previous year’s total figure of 3,474, the death toll of 22 this year has also surpassed the 2022’s total casualty count of 19.

On the malaria front, 24 confirmed cases have been reported so far whereas 33 malaria patients had been registered here in 2022.

However, the confirmed cases of malaria have also shown a decline with only five fresh cases detected since November 16.

Taking cognisance of the situation, Deputy Commissioner Surabhi Malik has directed district officials of all the departments concerned – Health, Public Health, and Municipal Corporation – to take immediate effective steps to check the further spread of the vector-borne diseases in the state’s biggest and largest district, in terms of area and population.

A senior functionary told The Tribune on Friday that a massive test, trace, and treat campaign was being undertaken by the Health Department to check the spread of dengue and malaria cases in the district.

She said as many as 3,474 samples had so far been tested for dengue while 35,37,016 houses and 56,61,264 containers had been inspected to check the dengue mosquito larvae.

Following the detection of dengue larvae in 4,821 houses and 5,245 containers, as many as 812 challans had been issued against violators.

She said adequate arrangements had been made at all government institutions to test and treat the dengue and malaria patients with a special ward reserved for dengue patients at the Civil Hospital here.

Urban-rural divide

Urban areas were much more prone to dengue as compared to rural areas in the district. Of the total 1,298 confirmed cases this year so far, 956 patients were from the urban areas while the rural areas had reported only 342 cases. As many as 1,848 suspected cases were from the urban areas as compared to 727 from villages. Likewise, 18 dengue deaths had been recorded in the urban areas while the rural areas had reported four deaths due to dengue this year till date.

Joint drive underway, says Deputy Commissioner

“The departments concerned have joined hands for undertaking a joint concerted campaign to contain the further spread of vector-borne diseases in the district. I have been regularly monitoring the situation and issuing necessary directions,” said Surabhi Malik, Deputy Commissioner.

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