136 Fresh Cases of Dengue Emerge in Patna as Bihar Faces Aftermath of Floods

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Amid the increasing number of mosquito-borne diseases and alarming situation, several doctors are advising people to take extra care of their health and surroundings.

The floods in Bihar have resulted in an increase of mosquito-borne diseases in the state. In the capital city of Patna itself, as many as 136 blood samples of patients were tested positive for dengue at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) on Friday.

This is the highest number of cases registered in a single day since the outbreak of the disease this year, reported The Times of India.

Sachchidanand Kumar, the in-charge of virology lab at PMCH, said that out of the 136 fresh dengue patients, 120 are from Patna.

The health department in the city had put the number of dengue patients at 903, on Thursday, October 10. These numbers exclude dengue patients undergoing treatment at private hospitals. With 120 new cases registered within the city, the final number stands at 1,023 on October 11.

However, this contradicts the official figure released by the malaria office, Sultanganj, which says that the number of dengue patients in Patna rose from 903 on Thursday to 981 on Friday. The malaria office has put the total number of dengue cases in the state at 1,392.

Amid the increasing number and alarming situation, several doctors are advising people to take extra care of their health and surroundings.

Dr Anima Xess, a professor at microbiology department of Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS), said, “People should take precautions to avoid mosquito bite as no vaccine has so far been developed for the dengue virus,” while Dr Madan Pal Singh, head of medicine department at PMCH, said, “Aedes mosquito is the carrier of the dengue virus and it primarily bites during daytime. People should properly cover their body and apply mosquito repellent to prevent mosquito bite during daytime.”

PMCH superintendent, Dr Rajiv Ranjan Prasad advised people to ensure that they spray temephos to control disease-carrying insects. He added, “One should change water in air coolers at least once a week and also remove water accumulated in the plates kept below flower pots or empty bottles and other things on the terrace.”