Dengue cases on the rise

The disease claimed life of a doctor in M Kottur recently. However, the Government hospital and the Health Department are apathetic about the outbreak in Srinivaspur taluk.

The number of patients testing positive for dengue fever has also gone up both in rural and urban areas. While the patients have been undergrowing treatment in hospitals of Kolar and Bangalore, the Government hospital has no mechanism to alert the public. When asked, the doctors here point a finger at the Health Department where none of the officers is said to have been aware of dengue fever!

But, Dr Venkatachala of Sri Venkateswara Grameena Arogya Shikshana and Abhivriddhi Samste confirms the increasing cases of dengue fever in the taluk.

“Nearly 40 cases were reported in our institution,” he said adding that most of the patients were from M Kotturu, Maniganahalli, Pillikunte and Kallur.He said the Aedes Egyptiae, the mosquitoes which are vectors of dengue, spread the disease. In the absence of adequate sanitation towns and villages have turned breeding grounds for mosquitoes, he added.

Besides, as the underground drainage are constructed, the rainwater collect on the roads which are dotted with potholes. Besides, inadequate drainage system in the newly formed layouts also contribute generously to the growth of vector brigade with the sewerage stagnant on the roads.

Besides, the swamps near residential areas; rotten vegetables piled up on the drainage filled with rainwater in the APMC market turn very conducive for these mosquitoes.   
The situation in rural areas is no different as the sewerage flow into the tanks and parthenium and other weeds also turn breeding grounds for the mosquitoes.  However, the farmers pay heavy price as their agriculture activities will be affected due to the outbreak of the fever. As most of the family members fall sick they will not be able to carry out works in the fields.

The Town Municipality, the Health Department and some private institutions have distributed bleaching powder and penal to houses in urban areas. But, awareness about the fever is abysmally low, especially in rural areas with no government or private organisations bothering to visit these areas.

High temperature, acute headache,  haemorrhage, stomachache, pain in eyes and joints, nausea and vomiting, passing black stool and turning pale, dehydration are some of the symptoms of the fever classified as  dengue, dengue haemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome, Dr Venkatachal told Deccan Herald

He said people should take preventive measures such as using mosquito net and clearing stagnant water in the vicinity.