Fifty confirmed cases of dengue have been reported in Punjab so far this year, stated the State Health and Family Welfare Minister Surjit Kumar Jayani on Wednesday.
“These 50 cases of dengue are being treated in different Government hospitals of the State,” he said, adding that the State Government has constituted a ‘Dengue Review Committee’ which would assess all dengue cases.Dengue testing is free of cost at Government hospitals, separate beds with mosquito nets have been identified for dengue patients, supportive treatment is given for free and blood component separators are available in all the districts for severe cases, he said.
Jayani, while presiding over a meeting of State Task Force constituted for intersectoral coordination and involvement of other stakeholder departments in prevention and control of Dengue and other Vector Borne Diseases in the state, said that his department was using larvicides (insecticide) for prevention of breeding of mosquitoes.
Spray and fogging is done in the house from where a case of dengue is reported as well as at 40-50 surrounding houses, the Punjab Health Minister added.Meanwhile, he warned private hospitals not to create panic among the public about dengue and said strict action would be taken against such hospitals.
He also asked the State health officials to ensure that all private hospitals send timely reports about the suspected dengue cases to the Department of Health and Family Welfare.