Govt sounds alert after 86 dengue deaths

The health ministry directed all state government and civic agencies to carry out effective fumigation to check vector borne diseases after a spike in dengue cases across the country.

Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Punjab, Karnataka and Gujarat have been hit particularly hard by the mosquito-borne disease.

According to National Vector Borne Disease Control Program (NVBDCP), this year India has reported more than 110,473 dengue cases with 86 deaths.

“This year, rains were erratic and this is a favourable condition for dengue mosquitoes to breed. No fumigation happened for the last two years,” said a senior official at National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

Civic agencies are not working at all, with minimal activity on vector-borne disease control measures. Eighty-six deaths is not a small number,” the official at NCDC said.

Another official said, “We have given multiple reminders and guidelines to the states to follow active vector disease control measures.”

“Despite this, there is no action. Moreover, India does not have enough entomologists.”