AFTER DELUGE, PATNA BATTLES DENGUE
PATNA: Dengue scare looms large over Patna after 231 positive cases were reported at government hospitals here since September 28, when heavy rains lashed the state capital, leading to waterlogging in many localities.
The overall tally of dengue cases reported so far in the state this year had gone up to 1,127, which was lower than last year’s 2,122 cases.
Of the 10 dengue positive cases reported at the Patna Medical College Hospital (PMCH) on October 4, seven were from Patna, said its chief casualty medical officer Dr Abhijeet Singh.
“A day later, we reported seven dengue positive cases, of which three were from Patna. We had sent around 400 samples for laboratory tests in the past one week,” he added.
As against 35 beds in dengue wards, the PMCH has added another 30 for dengue patients, said its superintendent Dr Rajiv Ranjan Prasad.
“We have added additional 10 beds in paediatrics and another 20 in medicine ward for dengue cases coming to our hospital,” said Dr Prasad.
At the Nalanda Medical College Hospital (NMCH), only two cases of dengue have been reported so far this month, said deputy superintendent Dr Gopal Krishna.
Most dengue cases are coming to the PMCH after many wards of the NMCH were submerged in knee-deep water following heavy rains on September 28. Its indoor medicine ward as well as the emergency unit was shut between September 28 and 30. The intensive care unit of the NMCH is still shut after rainwater entered its premises.
The government, however, said it was wrong to attribute the spike in dengue cases to the recent waterlogging in Patna.
“This is the season of dengue. It is wrong to attribute all dengue cases being reported now to waterlogging in Patna. Of the 2,122 dengue cases reported last year till December, 1117 were from Patna. This year, we have so far reported 1,127 dengue cases,” said Bihar’s principal secretary, health, Sanjay Kumar.
He said 409 dengue positive cases had been reported between January and September 27 and 231 after that. Another 88 cases of chikungunya had also been reported so far.
Kumar, however, said there was nothing to worry. “The state government has organised 51 health camps in Patna of which 39 are at puja pandals... We have 22 urban primary health centres, which are fully functional. Three mobile teams of doctors have also deputed in Rajendra Nagar. They are moving on tractors in waterlogged areas to reach out to the people at their doorstep,” he said.