Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Surprised over not a single dengue case being reported this year so far, health department officials have dashed off a letter to private hospitals asking them to report cases of vector-borne diseases.
On the eve of National Dengue Day, district malaria officer Dr Daulat Patel said that no dengue case had been reported so far this year. “We have come to know that a few private hospitals did treat a few cases of vector-borne diseases but didn’t report to the department,” he said.
“We have served a letter to private hospitals asking them to report the cases on priority basis. We have asked the hospitals to share details of such cases along with suspected cases that underwent treatment in the hospital in the last couple of months,” Dr Patel said.
He also added that due to negligence in reporting by private hospitals, they had to make amendments in the data of dengue cases.
“Officially there is no case, so far but one of the private hospitals has informed us about two cases they found in January and February. We are scrutinising the cases and will add them in the official record as the cases in said month,” the malaria officer said.
Last year, 242 cases of dengue were found. This year health officials were on alert mode anticipating an increase in cases during summer as people stock fresh water which is a breeding ground for dengue larva.
Surveyed over 27,000 houses
City officials claimed that they were running an intense anti-larva drive in the city which helps them prevent vector-borne diseases.
“Dengue is a vector-borne disease and National Dengue Day is observed every year on May 16 to spread awareness about the prevention and control of the disease,” Dr Daulat Patel said adding “Their team has surveyed over 27,000 houses from January to April, this year and found larva at 599 houses.”
Along with eliminating the larva from these houses, officials claimed to spread awareness against the disease and asked people to opt for ways to prevent the vector generation.
