Over 15,000 dengue cases reported: Health ministry

Written By: IANS | Published : August 21, 2013 10:45 AM IST

India has recorded 15,893 dengue cases in 2013, a sharp increase from last year, health ministry figures show.

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha Tuesday, Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said total dengue deaths across the country till July this year were 56 while it was 76 in 2012.

Dengue, a vector-borne disease, has affected major cities of the country. This year 15,893 cases have been reported, a sharp increase from 8,899 cases of last year.

Also Read

The health minister said there is no single reason for the increase in cases. There could be various man-made and environmental factors, he said.

Azad said, 'The unprecedented growth in population, unplanned rapid urbanisation and inadequate waste management are reasons behind the outbreak.'

Water supply mismanagement, gaps in public health infrastructure, increased mobility of population and poor infrastructure to monitor mosquito breeding were some other reasons cited by the health minister.

Kerala reported maximum 5,801 dengue cases followed by Karnataka (3,775), Tamil Nadu (3079) while 12 cases have come from Delhi till the end of July.

Toll has been highest in Kerala and Maharashtra, both reporting 19 deaths each. In Karnataka, 11 people have died while six have succumbed to the disease in Madhya Pradesh.

What is dengue?

Dengue fever is a communicable disease and its symptoms include high fever for four to five days, usually accompanied by severe headache, pain in eyes, muscles and joints besides rashes. After the fever goes away, blood platelet count starts dipping. This is the most dangerous phase of the disease.

How to prevent dengue?

Here are a few simple and practical tips to keep dengue at bay:

Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are known to bite humans during the day and their most common breeding grounds are man made containers. Therefore, it is advisable to not have any stagnant water around. Remember to clean out empty flower pots and not to over water potted plants. If the container that contains water cannot be emptied, remember to cover it well when not in use.
A natural method to keep mosquitos at bay is to plant tulsi near your window. The plant has properties that do not allow mosquitoes to breed.
Using camphor as a repellant also works wonders. Light camphor in a room and close all the doors and windows. Leave it this way for about fifteen to twenty minutes to have a mosquito free environment.

With inputs from IANS

Add The Health Site as a Preferred Source