‘Timely action could have helped tackle dengue’

LUCKNOW: Despite getting maximum focus and facilities to fight vector-borne diseases, the state capital reported over 1,500 dengue cases, maximum in the state.

“I would say dengue is a municipal diseases and not a medical one, which could have been tackled if timely action was implemented, including massive awareness campaigns and action by civic authorities,” said Dr PK Gupta, former president IMA, Lucknow.

He said, “It seems authorities remained busy in tackling numbers to keep the count low while cases kept on increasing.”

“We are not hiding cases, hence the number of reported cases is high,” said Dr Narendra Agrawal, chief medical officer (CMO), Lucknow.

Health officials said they expected dengue cases to stop in the next few days. “The number of average daily cases has gone down and as temperature will fall below 22 degree Celsius, the cases will stop,” said Dr Agrawal.

Lucknow has till now reported 1509 cases and six deaths while the entire state has reported over

5724 cases and 9 deaths. Lucknow shares over 26% dengue cases and about 66% deaths.

This happened when the health department was given powers to lodge FIR against repeated offenders -- if mosquito larva was found at any place more than once during inspection.

But no FIR has been lodged in the city for such an offence despite mosquito larva being found four times at several places, including KGMU campus. “The inter-departmental coordination should have been better to curb dengue menace, which on ground apparently was weak,” said a senior consultant with a government hospital.

“Action such as checking stagnant water should have started in July. Vector-borne diseases can be checked if municipal authorities focus on checking drives,” said Dr Gupta.

Areas that reported maximum cases include Rajajipuram, Thakurganj, Aliganj, Khadra, Malihabad, Aishbagh, Vikas Nagar, Nirala Nagar, Triveni Nagar, Indira Nagar and Gomti Nagar.

“Another issue is of VIP syndrome. You will find fogging in VIP areas everyday but in other pockets of the city such an exercise is almost missing,” said PK Srivastava, former senior scientist, CDRI.

“In Jankipuram extension, where I live, fogging was never done this season,” he said.

Dengue incubation period is of 12 days. Hence a person can test positive for dengue anytime in 12 days after mosquito bite.