More than 50 cases reported
Mounesh Vishwakarma
Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (EP)
Bantwal, May 14: More than 50 people have been affected with Dengue fever in Bantwal area before the arrival of monsoons. While many of them are getting treatment in a private hospital in Thumbay, others have been admitted in several hospitals in the taluk. Some of them are getting treatment at their homes.
22 cases in Amtady and Badaje, 3 cases in Benjanapadavu, 2 cases in Kalladka, 4 cases in Brahmarakutlu and 2 cases in Agrahara have been reported among the more than confirmed cases of dengue.
Dengue and Malaria, fatal illnesses are usually found during monsoons. The people are anxious that they have appeared during the days of scorching sun. The incidents are more in rural area than in the urban localities. It is feared that if the people do not destroy the mosquito production sites, and take preventive measures, it may lead to extensive loss of life during the rainy season.
The disease is found more in places of plantations. Taluk medical officer Dr Deepa Prabhu has said that the water sprayed through sprinklers remains in Areca leaves, pits and gutters where mosquitoes breed. “Fogging is being continued to destroy the mosquitoes”, she said.
She has suggested that only as much water as necessary should remain in the construction sites and one should keep changing the water from time to time. “Workers employed in plantations should cover themselves as far as possible to prevent mosquito bites”, she said.
The Aedis mosquitoes that spread Dengue lay eggs in clean water inside and outside the house. The mosquitoes that come out of the shell are infected. The mosquitoes bite 10 to 14 people spreading the illness rapidly. She has suggested everybody to get the blood tested and take appropriate treatment.
The symptoms of the illness are severe pain in the head, vernal fever and muscle pain. There is no definite treatment for Dengue. If the symptoms become severe, it is necessary to get admitted in specialty hospitals.
Preventing stagnation of water, closing tanks, drums, barrel, vessels, cleaning the vessel behind the fridge, filling plates under the water pots with sand, disposing of waste, cutting tender coconut shells to ensure that water does not remain in them, keeping tires where water does not fall etc are some of the precautions that need to be taken. Mosquito nets should be fixed to the windows. The doors and windows should be closed in the evenings. Mosquitoes can be driven away by mosquito repellents.
Dr Deepa Prabhu also said that there are 58,949 houses in Bantwal taluk with a population of 4, 01,427. “It is not possible to visit every house to create awareness. However the department officials have visited some areas and distributed hand bills. Hotels are issued notices to provide hot drinking water. Legal action with be taken for violations,” she said.