Dengue, chikungunya batter Ggn; most cases in posh localities

Most dengue and chikungunya cases in Gurgaon are being reported from posh areas such as Wazirabad, Sector 56 Ardee city, Sushant Lok, DLF Phase-3 and Palam Vihar to name a few.

Even as official figures of dengue and chikungunya in the city stands at 36 and 2 cases, respectively, a beeline of patients can be spotted at many private clinics and hospitals.

According to sources, lack of common testing procedures (between government and private hospitals) for chikungunya and dengue and poor coordination between government health officials and private healthcare institutions has lead to under-reporting of these mosquito-borne diseases.

A doctor at a private hospital at the city said 80 percent of the patients coming to their OPD suffered from chikungunya. Wazirabad has reported the maximum 20 dengue cases, of the total of 36 reported from the city.

A major reason behind the surge in dengue cases in Wazirabad is unchecked construction activity in the area and large open spaces, which leads to stagnation of water and serve as a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

Fearing a rise in the number of dengue and chikungunya  cases in the city, most the Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) have started adopting preventive measures and are coordinating with the Municipal of Gurgaon to ensure fogging around the respective areas.

This time, NCR has witnessed more cases of chikungunya than dengue. According to health officials, the nature of the “seasonal viral” affecting Gurgaon residents this year is “fairly different” from previous years. While dengue was the menace in the previous years, this year, the number of dengue cases being reported is much less. Instead, “other kinds of viral”, especially chikungunya, have emerged as the main challenge, say officials. 

“This time, there is less deadly dengue virus compared to 2015. But there has been a rise in chikungunya virus due to a perpetual cycle,” said Dr KK Aggarwal, president of the Indian Medical Association.

Though not fatal, chikungunya causes high fever, extreme joint pain and rashes on the body.