Despite the district health department extending the reach of Dengue Action Plan, the dengue fever is on the rise as 43 fresh cases of the vector-borne disease were reported in the city on Thursday. With the fresh positive cases, the total number of dengue-infected patients in the city rose to 120.
East Singhbhum district civil surgeon, SK Jha said that the fresh cases were confirmedd on the basis of blood samples that they had collected from 60 patients suspected.
“ We are keeping a strict vigil on the spread of the disease. The confirmation reports of these 43 cases came late on Wednesday evening. We will continue the dengue action plan in the steel city ,” said Jha. He said a suspected case of chikangunya has also come to the notice of the health department.
Jha went on to inform that the patients are admitted at various hospitals including Tata Main Hospital, Tata Motors Hospital, Bramhananda Narayana Superspecialist Hospital, Kantilal Gandhi Memorial Hospital, MGM Medical College and Hospital, and others. Significantly, these patients failed from Bistupur, Sakchi, Mango, Jugsalai, Kadma, Sonari, Sitaramdera, Telco and Golmuri.
Sahir Pall, district officer for the Centre's Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), said they have also come upon a suspected case of chikangunya from the MGM Medical College and Hospital.
" We are keeping an eye on every patient. We have sent the blood sample of the suspected chikangunya patient to the MGM Medical College's microbiology department. The report of which is expected tomorrow," said Pall. He said they are monitoring the health condition of all the dengue-infected patients who all are out of danger.
Doctors in the city blame the rise in dengue cases to the deteriorating hygene in the city. They said that if the civic bodies do nothing, the number of cases could spiral out of control.
When contacted an official said that steps are being taken to control the situation fogging machines have been brought in, clearance of stagnation of water is being carried out, distribution of medication is being done.
Advising that people should keep their surroundings clear from broken items like buckets, tyres and coconut shells that can accumulate water and cause the disease, Dr UK Srivastava said that short spells have a higher chances of causing dengue than heavy spells.