Snowy Owl
Retired in 2010, In Memoriam
Concern over rise in chikungunya cases - Andhra Pradesh
http://www.hindu.com/2006/06/29/stories/2006062920820400.htm
http://www.hindu.com/2006/06/29/stories/2006062920820400.htm
Special Correspondent
<table bgcolor="#d0f0ff" border="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td> Several private hospitals report continuous flow of patients in twin cities </td></tr></tbody></table>
<hr color="lightblue" noshade="noshade"><table width="800"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="448">Government and private hospitals continue to register a steady rise in cases of high fever coupled with severe joint pains
A few of the samples collected in the State being sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune
YSR pulls up civic officials across the State for not taking adequate measures to prevent the epidemic
A Central team that visited the State observes that the spraying of insecticides was not adequate. <hr color="lightblue" noshade="noshade">
HYDERABAD: Notwithstanding the assertion by the Government that only a few cases of chikungunya were reported from different parts of the State, the ground reality seems otherwise as the Government and private hospitals continue to register a steady rise in cases of high fever coupled with severe joint pains.
The situation is so rampant in the twin cities that several private hospitals have been reporting a continuous flow of patients suffering from similar symptoms never felt in the past.
The medical fraternity has ridiculed the Government claim of fewer cases as few samples had been diagnosed.
A few of the samples collected in the State are being sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune from where the report would be available only after a fortnight by which time the patients would have been discharged.
Officials pulled up
Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy pulled up civic officials across the State, including Hyderabad, for not taking adequate measures to prevent the epidemic.
A Central team that visited the State observed that the spraying of insecticides was not adequate.
M. Ramshiva Reddy, Resident Medical Officer (administration), Kamineni Hospitals, said that at least 15 patients come to the hospital with high fever and severe joint pains every day.
"We have sent the samples to NIV. Many a times, the report comes late," he said.
T.S. Reddy, a doctor at Apollo Hospital, said that over 100 patients came to the OP department this month alone while 120 others were treated at the free clinic run by the hospital.
"Three patients are getting admitted for fever every day," he said.
"The hospital began symptomatic treatment without sending the samples for diagnosis," he added.
An official of Yashoda Hospitals also confirmed that 30-40 patients came for treatment at its three hospitals.
Situation worse
The situation was worse at Sir Ronald Ross Institute of Tropical Disease (Fever Hospital) at Nallakunta. J.R.Arjun Kumar, the Resident Medical officer at Fever Hospital said 23,560 patients had come to the OP department. Among them, 1,217 patients with complaints of fever were admitted during this month.
In districts
"Of these, 287 are suspected to be chikungunya cases and 100 samples have been sent to the NIV," he said and added that some cases were reported from Karimnagar and Nalgonda.
Health Department officials went on record saying that the Government was yet to get the figures from private hospitals about the number of cases reported over the past few days.
</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table bgcolor="#d0f0ff" border="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td> Several private hospitals report continuous flow of patients in twin cities </td></tr></tbody></table>
<hr color="lightblue" noshade="noshade"><table width="800"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="448">Government and private hospitals continue to register a steady rise in cases of high fever coupled with severe joint pains
A few of the samples collected in the State being sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune
YSR pulls up civic officials across the State for not taking adequate measures to prevent the epidemic
A Central team that visited the State observes that the spraying of insecticides was not adequate. <hr color="lightblue" noshade="noshade">
HYDERABAD: Notwithstanding the assertion by the Government that only a few cases of chikungunya were reported from different parts of the State, the ground reality seems otherwise as the Government and private hospitals continue to register a steady rise in cases of high fever coupled with severe joint pains.
The situation is so rampant in the twin cities that several private hospitals have been reporting a continuous flow of patients suffering from similar symptoms never felt in the past.
The medical fraternity has ridiculed the Government claim of fewer cases as few samples had been diagnosed.
A few of the samples collected in the State are being sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune from where the report would be available only after a fortnight by which time the patients would have been discharged.
Officials pulled up
Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy pulled up civic officials across the State, including Hyderabad, for not taking adequate measures to prevent the epidemic.
A Central team that visited the State observed that the spraying of insecticides was not adequate.
M. Ramshiva Reddy, Resident Medical Officer (administration), Kamineni Hospitals, said that at least 15 patients come to the hospital with high fever and severe joint pains every day.
"We have sent the samples to NIV. Many a times, the report comes late," he said.
T.S. Reddy, a doctor at Apollo Hospital, said that over 100 patients came to the OP department this month alone while 120 others were treated at the free clinic run by the hospital.
"Three patients are getting admitted for fever every day," he said.
"The hospital began symptomatic treatment without sending the samples for diagnosis," he added.
An official of Yashoda Hospitals also confirmed that 30-40 patients came for treatment at its three hospitals.
Situation worse
The situation was worse at Sir Ronald Ross Institute of Tropical Disease (Fever Hospital) at Nallakunta. J.R.Arjun Kumar, the Resident Medical officer at Fever Hospital said 23,560 patients had come to the OP department. Among them, 1,217 patients with complaints of fever were admitted during this month.
In districts
"Of these, 287 are suspected to be chikungunya cases and 100 samples have been sent to the NIV," he said and added that some cases were reported from Karimnagar and Nalgonda.
Health Department officials went on record saying that the Government was yet to get the figures from private hospitals about the number of cases reported over the past few days.
</td></tr></tbody></table>