Dengue: Kolkata registers about 438 cases so far this yr

Kolkata: In the wake of a rising number of dengue cases across the state, various government run hospitals in the subdivision and block levels have been urged to make necessary arrangements to treat dengue patients if there is a requirement. State health department apprehends that dengue cases may further go up in the next two months.

More than 5,000 dengue cases have been detected in the state so far this year with Kolkata, Howrah, North 24-Parganas, Jalpaiguri are among the worst affected districts. According to health department sources, around 5,081 dengue cases have been found since January. Kolkata has so far registered around 438 dengue cases so far while Howrah saw 786 dengue patients. Jalpaiguri in North Bengal is also badly affected as 937 cases have been detected. Hooghly registered over 360 dengue cases. Those civic bodies where 10 people or more have been infected in the past one month are being demarcated as dengue prone areas. Entomologists and dengue experts who are working under various civic bodies have already been asked to prepare reports after visiting various places under those civic bodies.

State health department has given utmost importance on controlling dengue cases in each district particularly in those pockets where the infection rate is much higher. State government has already allotted funds to various civic bodies to strengthen anti dengue surveillance. As various south Bengal districts have been receiving rainfall, the district administrations and concerned municipalities have been urged to ensure that there is no accumulated water in the locality. Cleaning of garbage has been given much importance.

The state health department once again urged the civic bodies to identify abandoned plots and remove the garbage so that they do not become the breeding ground for mosquitoes. Various districts where the dengue cases have gone up in the past few weeks have been asked to ensure that there is no accumulated water after a downpour.

All the districts have also been urged to strengthen awareness drives so that people become aware and put up mosquito nets while going to sleep. The civic bodies where the infection rate is high have been directed to collect data from households. Two people have so far died in the state following dengue.