Dengue alert! Avoid street food this Durga puja

New Delhi: When you step out to celebrate the festive season and enjoy street food this year watch out because your food might give you dengue. Doctors in the city have warned that consumption of street food has led to an alarming rise in the number of confirmed dengue cases. While dengue cases are on the rise in most city hospitals what is striking is that the number of cases have sharply risen since October this year. 

According to official records, on an average there are around 10-12 cases of dengue registered everyday in NCR hospitals. However, Fortis Hospital in Noida alone has reported over 300 cases of dengue since the first week of October.

Medical experts attribute the rising dengue cases to the mushrooming of vendors selling fried items during the festive season. ‘As most food items are sold under street lights, which attract insects and mosquitoes, consumption of such items automatically aggravates dengue,’ experts say.

‘We are having a tough time in arranging beds to accommodate the increasing rush of patients. There has been one death owing to dengue. The main reason for the rising dengue cases is lack of awareness among people, unhealthy lifestyle, unhygienic living conditions, stagnant water in coolers and nearby areas,’ said Dr. Jyoti Jain, senior consultant (Internal Medicine at Fortis hospital).

‘People eat street and uncovered food items sold at cheap prices near puja pandals which is absolutely unhealthy and must be avoided,’ Dr. Jyoti added.

According to official figures stated by the Delhi civic bodies, over 3,000 cases have been reported this year, while more than 400 new dengue cases have been reported in the past three days alone.