14,000 dengue cases for third time in 4 years

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 4

High incidence of dengue has been reported in the state for the fourth consecutive year.

When dengue season has almost come to an end, this year so far 14,400 cases have been reported from across the state. The number is close to the last year when over 15,000 cases were reported. So far total four deaths have been recorded due to dengue.

Among all the districts, this year Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and Health Minister Brahm Mohindra’s district Patiala topped the chart with 2,308 cases. Patiala is followed by Sangrur with 1,650 cases, Mansa 1,134 cases and SAS Nagar 1,067 cases.

The dengue outbreak happened despite the fact that the Health Department claimed to check 16 lakh households during the current season for Aedes aegypti larvae. Out of these in 45,000 houses the breeding of larvae was found. A senior functionary said 45,000 breeding spots could have created a havoc had the Health Department didn’t intervene. However, the number of challans for breeding, which is done by the Local Bodies Department, is much less as compared to the number of breeding spots.

During this season, the Health Department tested over 33,000 samples.

The experts contribute the situation to the weak mosquito breeding control prorgramme in the state. As per the health officials, now the number of fresh cases of dengue has reduced significantly.

According to experts, in another fortnight, with further drop in temperature, the cases will stop completely.