New Delhi: In a letter to the Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said that during the investigation of the central team, most of the cases of viral fever and death of children in Firozabad district were due to dengue.
The Union Health Minister wrote in his letter, “Central Reim has observed that most of the cases are due to Dengue while some are due to Scrub Typhus and Leptospirosis.”
“The vector index was also found to be high in Firozabad district with both the house index and the container index above 50%,” he said.
(Photo Credits: ANI)
The Central team has recommended that all fever patients be screened for Dengue, Malaria, Scrub Typhus and Leptospirosis, strengthening ELISA based testing facilities, activities related to fever survey, vector control and continuing fever camps as per micro-plan. Surveillance should be strengthened and the admission facility in the district hospital of Firozabad and adjoining districts will be increased.
Dengue and viral fever have claimed 51 lives in Uttar Pradesh’s Firozabad district in more than a fortnight. Hundreds of people are also getting treatment for diseases.
To tackle the issue, the Firozabad district administration is releasing around 25,000 mosquitoes that feed on the larvae of dengue-causing mosquitoes in ponds to prevent the spread of the disease, a senior district official said on Monday.
Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dinesh Kumar Premi told news agency PTI that the district health officials have started releasing the fish, commonly known as Gambusia, in the ponds in urban and rural areas of the district.
Premi said that in view of its success in Bareilly and Baduan districts, the district administration is going ahead with this experiment.
He said that this measure will also be effective against malaria.
Recently, District Magistrate Chandra Vijay Singh had directed the Health and Municipal Corporation officials to conduct a door-to-door survey to take out the water stored in coolers, pots and other utensils.
Read also | UP: 171 children complain about lack of beds in Prayagraj hospital due to serious diseases, viral fever
Apart from Firozabad, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Nanak Saran had informed on Sunday that more than 170 children have been admitted to Motilal Nehru Hospital in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj due to chronic diseases and viral fever like encephalitis and pneumonia.
“A few days back, when I inspected the children’s ward, there were 120 beds. We have got 171 patients. So, we have shifted 2-3 children to one bed,” said Dr Saran.
Dengue cases are less here. Some chronic diseases like encephalitis and pneumonia where they need oxygen support are admitted here,” he said, as reported by ANI.
According to the report, amidst acute shortage of beds at Motilal Nehru Hospital, at least three to four patients were seen on a single bed while some were being treated on mattresses lying on the ground.
With the flood water receding in the flood-affected areas, the state is witnessing several cases of chronic diseases and viral fever among children.
(with inputs from agencies)
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