Malaria alarm: 654 cases detected in past nine months in J&K

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, Oct 8: In past nine months Health Department has detected 654 malaria cases in the state which has sent alarm bells ringing among the officials.

Now the department has started a fresh campaign to identify the people mostly from outside the state who act as carriers of pathogen.

As per the figures in Jammu most of the cases are reported from Mendhar, Poonch, Rajouri, Kathua, Samba. In Kashmir region it is the urban centers from where most of the malaria cases are reported.

Talking to TNI, State Malariologist, Dr Kuldeep Kesar said that from January upto September this year department has registered 654 cases of malaria whereas 352 samples have been sent to laboratories for detection of Dengue fever. However no dengue positive case has been detected so far.

Dr Kesar further said that department has launched a awareness campaign to make people aware about the threat.

“If anybody found suffering from these diseases the department starts early treatment besides doing focal spray in the said areas where is spread” he added.

He maintained as per the previous year record the cases of malaria is going in parallel.

It is pertinent to mention here that some cases of Dengue has been found in Punjab area due to which the treat of this disease may occur in the state.

However department has actively launched the drive in collaboration with Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) supervised by Anti-Malaria Officer to prevent spread of water borne diseases in the area falling within the municipal limits.

Though the department has been claiming that its campaign has been able to curb the breeding grounds, but in most parts of the city, mosquito menace is still prevented.

They appealed the people, especially children and those allergic to smoke to remain in door during fogging and have urged the people to keep their surrounding clean so that mosquitoes don’t get places to breed.

Pertinently the under-construction sites, potholed roads and lanes, pits in and around the localities provide a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other disease causing germs, which when passed into the human body through mosquitoes are life threatening.