Dengue cases on the rise in Hyderabad

[Shiloh]

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Hyderabad/Dengue_cases_on_the_rise_in_city
/articleshow/3892404.cms

Dengue cases on the rise in city
26 Dec 2008, 0425 hrs IST, TNN

HYDERABAD: Even as Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) officials make tall claims about complete sanitation and door-to-door garbage
collection, dengue cases have reached alarming levels in the city. As many as 90 cases were reported in the city, while another 25 cases were discovered in the surrounding Ranga Reddy district this year. Last year 57 cases were reported in the city and 25 in the surrounding areas.

Dengue fever is caused by a virus which enters the human body when an infected mosquito bites. The person infected with the virus suffers from high fever and headache.

Also, the 90 cases were reported at government institutes like Fever Hospital, Gandhi and Osmania General Hospitals. However, officials have not recorded dengue cases reported at private hospitals. Sources said the number of dengue cases could be over 200 if patients treated by private hospitals are also taken into consideration.

According to a Director of Health report, 89 dengue cases were reported in the city since January 2008, compared to 57 cases last year. Similarly, 25 cases were reported in the surrounding Ranga Reddy district this year against last year's 42 cases. However, there were no reported deaths due to the deadly fever this year.

Interestingly, 30 per cent of the total dengue cases (307) in the state are from the city.

"There were 1,024 dengue suspected cases in the state this year. Compared to last year, the number of dengue cases have come down to 307 from 587 and two persons died due to dengue. But in the city, there is a rise in dengue cases,'' additional director (malaria) Dr S S C Chakra Rao told TOI.

GHMC officials claim several cases were detected in the surrounding Ranga Reddy, Nalgonda and Medak district, but patients land in city hospitals for treatment.

As per the report by the Director of Health officials, malaria cases were also on the rise in the city. This year, 275 confirmed malaria cases were reported from the hospitals, while only 253 cases were recorded in 2007.

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Dengue cases on the rise in Hyderabad

Source: http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/...Ts=&SEO=&SectionName=BUzPVSKuYv7MFxnS0yZ7ng==

Dengue footprints spread in city


Express News Service
First Published : 25 Sep 2009 05:02:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 25 Sep 2009 10:48:30 AM IST

HYDERABAD: Even as the masks are out everywhere as presumed protection against the dreaded swine flu, there is another danger lurking in the form of dengue. Dengue has spread its tentacles in the city in the last few years.

The mortality rate of dengue is around 5 per cent as compared to the mortality rate of swine flu which stands at 1 per cent. Hyderabad has the second highest number of dengue cases in the State and two deaths which were reported recently. Unlike swine flu, Dengue is not a communicable disease but is caused by a special type of mosquito named Aedes mosquito. Dengue fever is a seasonal disease which makes its presence felt mainly in the rainy season. The main reason for the spread of the disease and its carrier, the Aedes mosquito, have been attributed to the stagnating water bodies as well as unhygienic surroundings.

Terming the disease as a fatal one, District Medical and Health Officer Ch Jayakumari explained, ?The unusual monsoon pattern across the State increases the intensity of transmission. Though there are types 1,2,3,4 in dengue mosquitos, Only type 1 and type 2 are mainly found in India. These mosquitoes bite only during daytime and have a life span of 15 days.?

In the last few years, the number of dengue cases did not cross 37 but this season saw a spurt in numbers. Hyderabad has already recorded 23 cases and the overall number of dengue victims in the State is around 110.

Elaborating on the measures being taken by the government to tackle dengue, Jayakumari informed, ?Under the instructions of the GHMC, fogging operations have been undertaken at various parts in the city. Even the number of dengue testing centres have been increased and now all medical colleges in the city are equipped with testing facilities.?

Jayakumari appealed to citizens that people should keep their surroundings clean and immediately get rid of any water stagnating sites as these would provide favourable conditions for the breeding of mosquito larvae.

Dr Shashi Kiran, General physician, Yashoda Hospitals shares details on the symptoms of dengue fever. ?The symptoms include fever, body pains, cold, cough or rashes. Usually nine out of 10 cases do not have any serious complications,? he said.

Shashi Kiran informed that if there is a recurrence of dengue fever, then there are chances of complications.

In some cases, dengue causes low blood platelet count in the patient. ?In such a case, platelet transfusion should be done on the patients so as keep up the minimum blood levels,? Shashi Kiran says.

expresshyd@epmltd.com

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Dengue cases on the rise in Hyderabad

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Dengue-cases-on-the-rise-/articleshow/5121997.cms

Dengue cases on the rise
TNN 14 October 2009, 02:32am IST

HYDERABAD: The recent rains have triggered a dengue outbreak in the state with an estimated 150 cases reported in Hyderabad alone in the last
two months. These are in addition to 120 cases reported in Ranga Reddy district. What has caused a certain amount of panic among denizens is the bleeding complication being seen in dengue cases this year. Moreover, the drop in the platelet count in many dengue patients has led to a surge in demand for platelets in the city.

City-based doctors say they are getting dozens of dengue cases each day and attribute the outbreak and even the complications to a mutation in the virus that causes dengue, making it more virulent this time of the year. ?The epidemic comes in cycles. This year, the organism is showing its full virulence. During the previous year, though the conditions were the same there was no outbreak because the virus was lying dormant. Poor hygienic conditions are allowing the virus to thrive,? said Dr P S Raj Kumar, joint director (malaria) said. Dengue is a vector-borne disease.

Doctors pointed that with the infection being virulent this year, complications are also on the rise. ?We are getting many patients who are coming with bleeding complaints and shock syndrome,?? said a doctor from Apollo Hospital. ?Out of 100 dengue cases, at least eight cases need transfusion. Since the virus strain is more virulent this year, more patients need platelet transfusion,?? said the doctor.

Meanwhile, with hospitals getting several patients with dengue like symptoms everyday, doctors say they are no longer awaiting test reports to confirm dengue but are starting medication even for symptomatic cases.

While the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) claims to have taken required measures to tackle the monsoon diseases, there are no tangible results. Not only are dengue cases at an all-time high, this year six people died of dengue, when no death was reported last year.

In Balanagar, the resident medical officer of BBR Hospital Dr Bhairav Prasad said that the hospital is getting five to six cases a day from Balanagar and Jagadgirigutta. The case is similar in the Old City with Dr Mohammed Abu Bakar of Princess Durrushehvar Hospital, Purani Haveli, saying that over 200 cases had being treated at the hospital in September alone.

As on October 12, the city has reported 176 cases of dengue, most of which have surfaced since August. This includes the suspected cases which means that though doctor has diagnosed the case as dengue, the confirmation test was not carried out. The problem is not restricted to the city alone. The state health data indicates a grave problem with Warangal and Karimnagar districts too reporting 87 and 97 cases respectively. However doctors say the real figure would be much higher.

Senior physician Dr B Vijay Kumar of Yashoda Hospital, Secunderabad, said, ?We are getting over 30 patients on an average per day from Karimnagar and Warangal since last month. In our hospital, we have confirmed over 400 dengue cases. In the city, we got quite a few cases from Malkajgiri and a few sporadic cases from other areas.?