Dengue alarm

Figure breaches 8 year mark; reaches 50   

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, Sept 24: Around 50 cases of dengue have been detected so far in Jammu region, which is the highest among the last eight years, as claimed by the Health Department.

Director Health Services, Jammu Dr B S Pathania informed that most of the cases were from rural areas of the region including Samba, Kathua, Bari Brahmana and Vijaypur.

“About 15 to 20 patients are approaching their primary health centres on daily basis with symptoms of dengue which are being further referred to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMC) Jammu for blood test,” he stated.

He further said, “After 2006, when 42 cases of dengue had been reported, dengue has been reported only this year. Though sporadic cases have been report in between 2006 to 2013.”

Head, Microbiology Department GMC, Dr Bella Mahajan said their department conducted blood tests of the people who reported dengue symptoms and send the reports to the Director Health Services for further procedure.

She further said that treatment of the patients was going on at GMC, SMGS and Government Hospital Gandhi Nagar besides Accidental Hospital Vijaypur.

Health Officer, Jammu Municipal Corporation, Dr Vinod Sharma said corporation provide the assistance to the health department for fogging in the more dengue prone areas of the city adding that they had deputed employees with the intensive teams across the city. 

Pertinent to mention here that the climatic condition of Jammu is much suitable for 'Ades Egypti', the mosquito carrying the Dengue virus, and the most striking period is from August to mid November", said an expert, observing that since the state witnesses heavy influx of tourists, pilgrims, labourers and paramilitary personnel, the risk of the transmission of the virus cannot be ruled out.

“This disease is also known as break bone fever, an infectious tropical disease caused by the dengue virus. The symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pains, and a characteristic skin rash that is similar to measles,” expert added.

In a small proportion of cases the disease develops into the life-threatening dengue hemorrhagic fever, resulting in bleeding, low levels of blood platelets and blood plasma leakage, or into dengue shock syndrome, where dangerously low blood pressure occurs, he said.