Central team says majority cases of dengue, a few of scrub typhus

New Delhi: A central team which was sent to Firozabad in Uttar Pradesh to investigate the cause of a fever outbreak and deaths among children has observed that the majority of cases are of dengue and a few are of scrub typhus and leptospirosis.

Firozabad district has recorded 51 deaths, mostly of children, and hundreds of hospitalisations in over a fortnight and the viral fever has now spread to neighbouring Mathura and Mainpuri districts. Based on the observations of the central team, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan in a letter to the Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary has recommended screening of all fever patients for dengue, malaria, scrub typhus and leptospirosis.

Bhushan highlighted the need to strengthen ELISA-based testing facilities and suggested that activities related to fever survey and vector control be continued under a micro plan submitted by the central team.

He also recommended that surveillance should be strengthened with implementation of the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) in the district in coordination with the central surveillance unit at the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and that entomological activities be strengthened and continued according to standard guidelines and SOPs of the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP).

He also recommended augmenting isolation beds and admission facilities in the district hospital of Firozabad and neighbouring districts and organising a short reorientation of all doctors at primary health centres and community health centres.

Services of experts on infectious diseases from King George's Medical University and similar institutions may be utilised for this purpose.