At least 200 people have been tested positive of dengue fever in Pune as on September 16 this year according to the statistics available with the health department of the Pune Municipal Corporation.
Dengue, a mosquito-borne disease, is spread by the bite of the female mosquito (Aedes aegypti). The mosquitoes breed in stagnant water and bite during early hours in the morning and in the evening before dusk.
The onset of monsoon and the period after becomes favourable for mosquitoes spreading dengue, malaria, chikungunya, Zika virus, Yellow fever among other vector-borne diseases. It is, however, advisable to prevent the accumulation of water in the neighbourhood. People can prevent themselves from being bitten by mosquitoes using mosquito repellant, wearing full-length clothes, using mosquito nets and cleaning the house with disinfectants.
In August, 168 cases of dengue were reported in Pune and the month of 100 were tested positive of the mosquito-borne disease.
From January to June this year, of 256 complaints 57 were confirmed as dengue infection.
Hospitals in the Pune city of Maharashtra notify the PMC about the dengue patients after which they send samples to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) to confirm the presence of dengue virus.
“It is an expected rise in dengue cases in the city due to the continuous rains. The current atmosphere in Pune very much favours the increase in dengue mosquitoes. Due to this there is a hike in cases till September 16,” Hindustan Times report quoted Dr Sanjeev Wavare, assistant medical officer, PMC health department, saying.
“We would appeal to the public not to allow water to be stagnant in your surroundings, because this is purely a man-made disease. Everyone should be alert and ensure cleanliness in their houses, as well as in their surroundings. If you allow water to be stagnant, mosquito breeding is going to happen. If you regularly remove stagnant water there is no need of any control measures,” added Dr Wavare.
Dr Wavare further said, “Patients should not panic. He/she should immediately visit the nearest PMC dispensary. There is a need to give symptomatic treatment and the patient should take maximum rest.”
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