Dengue spreads tentacles, 6 suspected deaths, 564 confirmed cases

Tribune News Service

Nitin Jain

Ludhiana, October 21

The dreaded dengue fever, a mosquito-borne viral disease occurring in tropical and subtropical areas, is spreading its tentacles fast as cases of this vector-borne disease have multiplied over seven times in the past less than two months and more than doubled during the past less than one month in the district, the official figures have revealed.

While the 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 Saturday, Ludhiana has recorded six suspected dengue deaths, 564 confirmed and 1,446 suspected cases of the dreaded disease.

The gravity of the situation could be gauged from the fact that the number of Ludhiana’s confirmed dengue patients has shot up from 81 on August 25 to 252 on September 23, which was an increase of over 211 per cent, and further rose to 564 on October 21, which accounted for a whopping over 596 per cent increase in less than two months and 124 per cent rise in less than a month.

Five worst-hit districts

Hoshiarpur, Mohali, Kapurthala, Patiala, and Ludhiana were the five worst-hit districts in the state so far.

(Source: Health Department, figures till October 21)

A whopping 100 fresh cases have been reported during the past four days alone. From 464 on October 17, Ludhiana’s confirmed dengue tally has touched 564 on October 21.

This year’s figures were also more than double than 295 confirmed dengue cases reported here during the corresponding period last year. However, the suspected cases this time were less than 2,030 reported till October 21 in 2022.

Though the confirmed cases of malaria have multiplied four times in less than a month to 16 on October 21 from four on August 25 and increased 60 per cent in less than a month from 10 recorded on September 23, these were still less than 23 malaria patients registered in the district till October 21 last year.

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.

The Director, Family Planning, Dr Hitinder Kaur Sohal, who is also holding the additional charge of the Civil Surgeon, told The Tribune on Saturday 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 36 fresh cases of dengue were confirmed in the district on Saturday, which included 25 from urban and 11 from rural areas.

With this, the cumulative total of dengue cases has reached 564, of which, 63 active patients were admitted to various private health institutions in the district.

The district has also recorded the death of six patients with dengue-like symptoms but their actual cause of death was yet to be confirmed. “These casualties have been marked as suspected dengue deaths as yet,” the Director Family Welfare-cum-Civil Surgeon said.

Last year also, six dengue deaths had been reported in Ludhiana till October 21.

Dr Sohal said as many as 1,446 samples had so far been tested for dengue while 2,32,129 houses and 5,77,368 containers had been inspected to check dengue mosquito larvae.

Following the detection of dengue larvae in 1,710 houses and 1,760 containers, as many as 795 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 36 confirmed patients of dengue reported on Saturday, 25 were from urban areas while villages have reported only 11 dengue cases. Among the urban areas, Ludhiana city has reported 24 and Khanna one positive case while in the rural belt, seven cases were reported in Pakhowal, two in Sahnewal, and one each in Koom Kalan and Machhiwara.

The number of active cases was also more in urban areas with 52 seriously-ill patients under hospitalisation in the city while 11 dengue patients had been hospitalised in rural areas.

Fifth worst-hit district

Ludhiana is the fifth worst-hit district in the state when it comes to the confirmed dengue cases. While Hoshiarpur was on the top with the maximum of 978 confirmed cases and three dengue deaths, Mohali ranked second with 776 confirmed cases and no death due to dengue.

Kapurthala with 653 confirmed cases and no dengue death was on the third spot while Patiala with 588 confirmed cases and two dengue deaths was ranked fourth till Saturday.

All-out efforts on: DC

"I have reviewed the situation arising out of dengue, malaria and other vector-borne diseases in the district and have directed the departments concerned to join hands for undertaking a joint concerted campaign to contain the further spread of such cases in the district," said Surabhi Malik, Deputy Commissioner

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