With the Jammu region witnessing a continuous surge in dengue cases, the union government on Wednesday rushed a high-level team to Jammu and Kasmir to assist the local authorities in controlling the disease.
Apart from Jammu and Kashmir, teams have been deputed in Haryana, Kerala, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, and Delhi where dengue caseload is high.
A total of 15 states/UTs reporting their maximum cases in the current year, and these states contribute 86% of the country's total dengue cases till 31st October, according to the government.
The development comes in accordance with the directions of the Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya during the review meeting on the dengue situation held here on November 1.
According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, a higher number of cases in some states were reported in October this year as compared to a number of cases during the same period in the previous year.
993 positive cases in J&K
The Union Territory of J&K has recorded 993 cases, most of which have surfaced from the densely-populated area of Jammu city and Kathua district's Govindsar area adjoining Punjab.
The emerging situation has alarmed the Malariology department that has advocated community education and behaviour changes among the people to put an end to the transmission of the disease.
"A total of 993 dengue cases have been reported from the Jammu region. Maximum cases have been reported from residential areas of Sarwal, New Plot, Rehari, Resham Ghar Colony, Gandhi Nagar, Trikuta Nagar, and other areas of Jammu city," the officials of the Malariology department said.
In Jammu province, maximum cases have been reported from the Jammu district, followed by Kathua Samba and Udhampur districts.
First time since 2014 Jammu reports a huge number of dengue cases
For the first time since 2014, such a large number of dengue cases have been reported in Jammu province, especially in the Jammu district. According to experts, the cases will start dipping by mid of November.
"People are constantly being made aware to prevent dengue. This time the affected areas include Sarwal, Rehari, Janipur in Jammu, and Govindsar of Kathua," Dr. Belu Sharma, State Malaria Officer said recently.
She said that steps are being taken by the government and guidelines are being issued and circulated time to time but people have a major role to play in fighting the diseases by adhering to the directives and suggestions.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary, Arun Kumar Mehta has also recently reviewed the medical preparedness in mitigating dengue outbreaks in Jammu and Kashmir. The capacity of beds for dengue patients has also been increased in the Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu.
Panic-stricken patients moving to Punjab for treatment
As the panic-stricken residents of the plains of the Jammu region are shifting dengue patients outside the state for better and 'reliable' treatment, this mosquito-borne disease has gripped eight districts of Jammu province. Jammu, Samba, and Kathua are the worst affected but there is no exact record of the patients because fear-stricken people have shifted many patients to neighbouring Punjab or Delhi for advanced treatment.
