Dengue, chikungunya epidemic forms in Bihar in the aftermath of rainfall, floods

As per official figure, Bhagalpur, which is one of the 15 flood-affected districts of Bihar, has reported the second-highest number of dengue cases, with 95 people diagnosed positive so far.
Since January to September, Patna recorded 409 cases of dengue.
Since January to September, Patna recorded 409 cases of dengue.

PATNA: Dengue and Chikungunya, both water-borne communicable diseases, have taken an epidemic form in Patna and other districts of Bihar, including the home district of CM Nitish Kumar, Bhagalpur, Vaishali, Purnia, Muzaffarpur and Begusarai, which witnessed massive waterlogging and flood-like situation recently after incessant rain. 

As per official figures, around 980 people have been tested positive for dengue and 88 for Chikungunya since January to October 5 this year. 640 positive cases for dengue and 74 of Chikungunya have been reported from Patna alone.  

Since January to September, Patna recorded 409 cases of dengue, which has now gone up to 640 with an addition of 231 new cases reported in the aftermath of floods from September 27 to October 5. 

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Fortunately, no casualties have been reported so far.

A noted physician of Patna, Dr Rajiv Ranjan said "the outbreak of dengue or Chikungunya like water-borne communicable diseases aggravates after a spell of rain followed by scorching sunshine."

“The best way to tackle is removal of accumulated water from home to surroundings. In Patna, intensive fumigation drive and dense a fortnight-long-spray of bleaching powder along with public awareness on its prevention is a collective nerd of hour”, he said.

As per official figure, Bhagalpur, which is one of the 15 flood-affected districts of Bihar after Patna, has reported the second-highest number of dengue cases, with 95 people diagnosed positive so far.

After Bhagalpur, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s home district –Nalanda and Patna’s adjoining district- Vaishali, each have reported the third-highest number at 25.

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Followed by Bhagalpur, 15 dengue cases from Saran, 13 from each Aurangabad and Purnia, 12 from Muzaffarpur ( where recently encephalitis had claimed the lives of more than 160 children) and 11 from Madhubani have been recorded. 

Sanjay Kumar, secretary of Bihar State Health Department, admitted that the number of dengue positive cases increased in the aftermath of recent heavy rain which caused massive waterlogging in Patna and other parts of the state.

He said all the medical colleges including Patna Medical College and Hospital, the Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCJH) and other seven have been notified as ‘sentinel sites’ for free check-up and treatment of dengue patients.

Sanjay Kumar said, “ The medical teams, equipped with all health care facilities and medicines, have been deputed at 35 puja pandals in Patna. Similarly, 24 teams of PMCH and health department are carrying out intensive fogging and sprinkling of bleaching powder across the waterlogged areas”, he said.

The special medical check-up camps also would be set up in Patna for the free check of suspected patients of both dengue and Chikungunya from October 10 to 12 at PMCH, NMCH and government hospitals in Patna.

As per an official data, 515 cases have been reported positive for dengue from Patna Medical College and Hospital alone in Patna where special wards for dengue have been set up. 

Kumar said that 10 additional teams have been involved for carrying out synthetic parathyroid spraying in Patna to kill the dengue mosquitoes.

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