Threat of dengue epidemic looms large in Northern India

[Snowy Owl]

125 patients with the disease hospitalised
http://www.sikhnet.com/sikhnet/news.nsf/NewsArchive/2A77EF0133971591872571FD006FC4C9
Kuldip Bhatia

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  As the number of dengue cases recorded an increase during the past couple of days, the industrial hub of the state is facing a grave threat from the mosquito-borne disease. And in the absence of adequate preventive measures the outbreak in an epidemic form simply appears to be a matter of time.
  Although the official figures of confirmed cases admitted to the local hospitals, both from the city and other places in the state till now, is put at around 125, with four persons succumbing to illness, yet the ground reality is far too grave. Rough estimates put the number of victims at many times more than the official figures.
  While officials disagreed on the mass prevalence of dengue in the city for obvious reasons, information gathered by Ludhiana Tribune from different sources indicated that hundreds of persons in areas like Janakpuri, Basti Jodhewal, Shivpuri, Tilak Nagar, Subhash Nagar, Chander Nagar, Simlapuri, Dugri, along with several other colonies on the periphery of the city were down with suspected attack of dengue.
  From September till date, the two major hospitals in the city - Dayanand Medical College and Hospital and Christian Medical College and Hospital - had received 115 dengue cases with both institutions reporting two deaths each from the disease. Even at present, some 45 dengue patients were under treatment in the two hospitals, according to the hospital authorities.
  Requesting not to be quoted, a medical specialist revealed that a leading biochemistry laboratory in the city, catering to some six private nursing homes and several general practitioners, had recorded around 500 persons with low platelet count during blood testing. The number of patients admitted to leading local hospitals did not truly reflect the grim scenario simply because a large number of patients with dengue like symptoms were said to be seeking treatment at nursing homes or private clinics in different parts of the city.
  Even though the health department claimed to have carried out a programme for holding awareness camps in vulnerable areas to educate the people about dengue and other seasonal diseases, the facts revealed an altogether different story.
  As things stand now, the awareness and education camps said to have been organised by the department in sensitive areas were still to yield the desired results. If at all such camps were held, these were nothing but an exercise in futility with field staff distributing pamphlets and explaining some preventive measures to small groups of unresponsive residents. The officials concerned, however, put the blame on the city residents saying the people themselves had the tendency of not taking even grave threats to public health too seriously.
  The Civil Surgeon, Dr Yash Pal Singla, while talking to Ludhiana Tribune, however, maintained that there was no threat as such from the outbreak of dengue that had surfaced in some pockets. He said the department had taken quite a few preventive measures, as also run awareness campaigns. He further claimed that the majority of the dengue cases admitted to local hospitals had actually been referred from other towns in Punjab.
  The fact remained that a precious little had been done by the health authorities and the civic body as effective prevention against dengue and other water-borne or mosquito-borne diseases, commonly prevalent during this season. The anti-mosquito operations like fogging and sprays were at best either erratic or selective if not completely absent.
  As the departments concerned were being oblivious to the serious threat to public health, and dengue already having taken roots it were the city residents who would have to pay a very heavy price in the days to come.
  
  Precautions against dengue​
  • Wearing full-sleeved clothes
  • Wearing shoes and socks
  • Washing and scrubbing cooler tanks weekly
  • Putting a spoonful of oil, petrol or kerosene, on water to check growth of larva
  • Use of mosquito repellents and carrying out regular sprays
  • Paracetamol safest drug; avoid painkillers
  Symptoms of dengue
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  • Sudden onset of high grade fever
  • Severe headache and pain in the eyes
  • Body aches and rash on the skin
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Bleeding from the nose or blood in the urine at an advanced stage
  
  
  
  
  
  
  What is tiger mosquito?​
  
  According to Dr Jagdish Chand of the Department of Microbiology, GMCH, ?The dengue virus is transmitted by an infected female mosquito, aedes aegypti, after completion of extrinsic incubation period between 8 and 10 days. Once infected with the virus, the mosquito remains infected for life and its lifespan is between 4 and 6 weeks. ?Aedes aegypti has white and black stripes on the body with banded legs and is hence known as tiger mosquito. It breeds in and around houses in urban and semi-urban areas. It bites during the day, especially at dawn and dusk. On the other hand, the anopheles mosquito, which transmits malaria, bites during night time.
  ?Eggs laid by the aedes aegypti can survive even for three years. It can fly upto 110 yards and is hence generally confined to the indoor atmosphere. Man is the only reservoir host and the mode of infection is similar to yellow fever as transmission involves man-mosquito-man cycle. Aedes aegypti is the principal vector, but other species like the aedes albopictus may also be responsible for transmission of infection in countries of the American continents.?
  According to Dr Ashish Bhalla, ?There is no preventive medicine for dengue as such. Only supportive treatment can be given to patients suffering from dengue.?