Samples of 49 more patients were found positive for Dengue in the rapid test on Thursday in the State capital. The Health department, however, is waiting for the reports of Enzyme linked Imuno Sorbent Assay (ElISA) test to confirm dengue in these patients. The number of ElISA positive cases in Dehradun district has mounted to 301 this season which is more than double of total cases reported last year. It is learnt that seven dengue affected patients are admitted in Doon hospital while three others are in HIHT Jollygrant. In the CMI hospital Dehradun one patient is reportedly undergoing treatment.
Unable to control the spread of the disease the beleaguered Health department is now banking on decrease in atmospheric temperature to rein in the virus of dengue. The Director General (DG) of Health services, Dr R P Bhatt told The Pioneer that the number of cases would decline in coming days as winters are setting in. The medical fraternity is of the view that the dengue cases subside normally when the temperature drops below 20 degrees or shoots above 40 degrees. The DG said that the awareness holds the key for curbing the menace of dengue. He advised that people should not let the water accumulate in and around their households to stop breeding the mosquito.
The District Vector Borne disease officer J P Bahuguna told The Pioneer the department has collected samples of 5754 suspected patients for test of Dengue this season. He claimed that the department is closely monitoring the availability of blood and platelets in different blood banks of the city. Bahuguna informed that 762 units of blood are available in the blood banks while 54 units of platelet are in the shelf of the blood banks of the hospital.