Centre sends teams to 9 states, UTs over dengue outbreak
The Union Health Ministry has sent teams of experts to nine states and union territories across the country to help them manage the ongoing outbreak of dengue. Officials from the National Centre for Disease Control and National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme will provide technical guidance to health authorities in those states. Here are more details on this.
Which states have been assigned teams?
The states and UTs where the teams have been sent include Haryana, Punjab, Kerala, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, and Jammu and Kashmir. "It has been decided by the competent authority to depute central teams to the identified states to assist the state governments by providing technical guidance, including public health measures, for managing the...outbreak of dengue," according to an official statement.
Why does it matter?
Dengue cases have risen sharply across India over the past few weeks, raising concerns for the public and the authorities. Experts say record rainfall and insufficient measures to control mosquito breeding may be responsible for the spike in infections. Further, there are already fears of a surge in COVID-19 cases keeping in the mind the ongoing festive season.
Health Minister chaired meet on Monday
On Monday, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya had chaired a meeting in Delhi, directing the Health Secretary to identify and send teams of experts to states with a high caseload of dengue.
How bad is the situation?
More than one lakh dengue cases have been reported across the country so far. In Delhi, over 1,500 dengue cases have been reported this year of which nearly 80% were recorded last month alone. Meanwhile, in Ghaziabad, the number of dengue cases is close to 1,000 and 68% of them came in October alone. Chandigarh has already seen 33 deaths due to the disease.
What is dengue?
Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection caused due to the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti or Aedes albopictus mosquito. It causes symptoms such as fever, body ache, nausea, and vomiting. In severe cases, it can lead to internal bleeding and a drop in blood pressure levels. However, there is no specific treatment or vaccine to treat dengue yet.
How can you prevent it?
To prevent getting bitten by dengue-carrying mosquitoes, follow these steps: 1) Wear long-sleeve shirts and long pants. 2) Make sure to turn empty pots and buckets upside down. 3) Apply mosquito repellent creams and lotions on exposed areas of your body. 4) Block any openings/holes in your windows and door screens. 5) Use a mosquito net while sleeping. 6) Keep your dustbins well covered.
