Dengue situation in North 24-Pgns continues to be grim

Kolkata: The dengue situation in North 24-Parganas' Habra continues to be grim with the number of dengue affected victims mounting up with each passing day.

According to sources in the Habra State General Hospital, more than 800 patients were admitted to the hospital with dengue or dengue-like symptoms in the past 15 days.

The number goes up despite several measures taken up by the state health department and the district administration.

Sources in the hospital said that three persons have already died of dengue in the Habra State General Hospital. People in Habra alleged that the local administration had woken up late as a result of which the situation has gone beyond control. They also alleged that the district administration failed to take adequate preventive measures to check the spread of the disease.

"The hospital authorities face difficulties to accommodate a huge number of patients. The number of patients admitted to the hospital has far outweighed the bed capacity of the hospital. The total bed strength of the hospital is around 131. Nearly 70 seats have been increased in the hospital on an emergency basis," an official from the hospital said.

Senior health department officials have visited the hospital on various occasions in past few days to take a stock of the situation. A dengue unit has been opened in the hospital.

More doctors and nurses have been inducted to cope with the situation.

A dengue help desk has also been thrown open inside the hospital premises where the municipality workers have been deployed to assist the patients and their family members. All the councilors from Harbra Municipality are keeping surveillance at their wards and supervising the anti-dengue campaign.

Dr Sankarlal Ghosh, superintendent of the Habra State General Hospital, said health department's initiatives are not enough to check the disease unless people are aware on how to take preventive measures.

People are mostly affected in Daharthuba area of Habra. More than 100 people are down with dengue.