T-state admits to dengue epidemic, after student dies

With dengue fever gripping the Telangana state, particularly urban Hyderabad, the state government finally admitted to the existence of the epidemic. A 13-year-old student of an uptown English medium school died, while unconfirmed reports put the total death figure to 50. The government has begun taking steps to control the menace by clearing garbage and improving sanitation.

Hundreds of concerned parents gathered at Gitanjali Devshala school and protested against the unhygienic conditions prevailing in the school. Class 8 student T John Elisha of the school succumbed to severe dengue and multi-organ dysfunction on August 31. The corporate hospital where he underwent treatment confirmed the development.

“The condition in the school and surroundings is not clean, with open drainage flowing close to a school ground,” a class 9 student of the school said. Parents alleged that at least 50 students were diagnosed with viral fevers, and blamed the unhygienic conditions in the school.

More than 500 cases reported

The health department says that the number of dengue cases has almost doubled when compared to last year, 530 cases being reported in last month from all over Telangana. This year, 2,113 cases were reported while it was only 1,012.

State health minister Etela Rajender who visited Fever hospital in Nallakunta, said that death toll can’t be confirmed as few might have got treated in private hospitals. “Not all fevers are dengue cases,” he told the media.

“Out of the 25,000 out-patient registrations in Fever hospital, the main center for fevers in Telangana, in the month of June, only nine were confirmed dengue cases. And in August only 61 were diagnosed with the fever. While 51,000 patients registered at the OP,” he added.

The minister made sure that more consultation counters were introduced to deal with the increasing inflow of patients.

Fever hospital superintendent Dr K Shankar says that cold, cough, fever and body pains are common symptoms for seasonal flu and dengue. “In flu body temperature will not be high, but in Dengue the temperature goes up to 103 degrees F," he says.

Meanwhile, Congress and BJP leaders in the state criticised the state government for the inept handling of seasonal fevers.