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Written By: Agencies | Published : October 28, 2013 4:02 PM IST
Breaking the record of past seven years, the number of dengue patients in Rajasthan has shot up drastically. In 2013, the number of cases reached around 2,500 which itself speaks volumes about the complete failure on part of the civic body and health department and also highlights the level at which they work.
Till last week, dengue positive patients' number reached 2,136, which has now touched the 2,300 mark. The whopping figure is, however, the highest in past seven years in the state.
State's top hospital, SMS, is flooding with dengue patients as more than 20 patients are being tested positive on an average day. While maximum number of patients is being reported from districts including Dausa, Sikar, Ajmer and others, Jaipur is also not lagging behind as large numbers of patients suffering from dengue are being reported from Jaipur.
Since 2007, the number of dengue patients never touched the 2,000 mark. State hospitals registered 1,295 cases in 2012. The number decreased in 2011 to 1,100. In 2010, it went up to 1,823 which again came down to 1,389 cases in 2009. While in 2007 and 2008 the patients' number was as low as 700.
The health officials claim that they are taking all possible steps to check the spread of disease in the city, while the Jaipur Municipal Corporation officials denied having a hand in the spread of the disease.
'We are continuing to keep check and mark the places which can lead to patients' problems. Anti-larval activities are being carried out in state and special attention is being given to Jaipur where many areas reported diseases caused by mosquitos,' Dr BR Meena, director, Public Health told dna.
The number of cases may soon come down as the temperatures are coming down and Aedes Aegypti (the mosquito responsible for dengue) won't get conditions where it can breed easily, the director added.
What is dengue?
It is a tropical disease, usually transmitted by mosquitoes and the common symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pains and skin rash. There is no vaccine for dengue and the only way to reduce infections is to improve hygiene levels so as to prevent mosquito-bites and prevent mosquitoes from breeding. It's particularly difficult to create a vaccine because it's caused by different viruses and there are no animal models available for testing. The disease kills over five thousand Indians every year and is a seasonal threat, particularly during the monsoon seasons.
What are the symptoms of dengue?
Characterized by severe flu-like symptoms, dengue affects infants, children and adults alike and could be fatal. The clinical manifestations of dengue vary with the age of the patient. A person suffering from high fever in the range of 40 C/ 104 F, accompanied by any two of the following symptoms could be suffering from dengue:
Symptoms usually last for 2-7 days. Dengue could progress to severe dengue, a potentially fatal complication, causing leaking of plasma, fluid accumulation, respiratory distress, severe bleeding and organ impairment.
The warning signs to look out for occur 3-7 days after the first symptoms along with a decrease in temperature are:
The next 24-48 hours of the critical stage can be lethal; proper medical care is needed to avoid complications and risk of death.
Prevention
Dengue is a communicable diseases spread by mosquitoes from one human to another. So, the only way it can really be prevented is by avoiding mosquito bites. One can make sure all egg-laying habitats of mosquitoes like open and stagnant water source are cleaned up. If there are any open water sources you cannot eliminate, cover them and apply appropriate insecticides. Use protection such as window screens, long-sleeved clothes, and insecticide treated materials, coils and vaporizers.
Read more about dengue its symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.
With inputs from DNA
