Mangaluru, Jul 3: Dakshina Kannada district health officer Dr Ramakrishna Rao said that a total of 281 cases of dengue fever had been confirmed positive in the district from January 2015 through the ELISA test, while four deaths had been reported through the viral disease.
Briefing media persons at a press conference at the District Health Office here on Thursday, he said that the suspected and confirmed cases of dengue fever were treated at the hospital according to the symptoms seen in the patients, since specific anti-dengue treatment could not be rendered to them. The disease-causing virus in dengue fever has an incubation period of 5-7 days during which the disease cannot be detected. When symptoms of dengue fever are visible, the affected person should be immediately brought to the nearest primary health centre or taluk hospital, he said.
He requested the public to get their blood tested in case of fever and immediately notify the nearest primary health centre or government hospital if symptoms of dengue such as irregular or high fever, muscle and joint pain, eye pain, headache and rashes appeared in a person.
District surveillance officer Dr Rajesh said that three deaths had occurred due to confirmed dengue fever in June 2014, while 11 dengue cases had been confirmed positive by ELISA test and 63 cases had been positive in NS1 test. In comparison, a total of 213 cases had been confirmed as positive for dengue fever through ELISA test in June 2015, which is higher than last year, he said.
Out of the total 281 cases of dengue fever confirmed positive through the ELISA test in Dakshina Kannada this year, 65 cases occurred are in Mangaluru taluk, 48 cases in Bantwal taluk, 67 cases in Puttur taluk, 46 cases in Belthangady taluk and 55 cases in Sullia taluk.
With regard to malaria, also a major cause of concern for the health department, a total of 717 cases have been confirmed positive in Dakshina Kannada in June 2015, including 633 cases in Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) limits, while no deaths have occurred due to the disease since January 2015, as per official statistics.
Dr Ramakrishna said that fogging (spraying of insecticide) had been done in areas where cases of dengue fever had been confirmed to eliminate the mosquitoes and control the spread of malaria and dengue in those areas. With the support and cooperation of all citizens, it is possible to prevent the spread of vector borne diseases such as malaria and dengue, he said, urging citizens to implement preventive measures in and around their homes.
No screening required for mild cases of H1N1
With regard to the categorisation of seasonal influenza H1N1 cases during screening, Dr Rajesh said that all individuals seeking consultation for flu-like symptoms should be screened at healthcare facilities and examined by a doctor to be categorised.
Under Categories A and B, no testing is required for the patients. Patients with mild fever and cough/sore throat with or without bodyache, headache, diarrhoea and vomiting will be categorised as Category-A, and the patients do not require Oseltamivir. In addition to these symptoms, if the patients have high grade fever and severe sore throat, they will require home isolation and Oseltamivir and will be categorised as Category-B.
If the patient has breathlessness, chest pain, drowsiness, decrease in blood pressure, sputum mixed with blood and bluish discolouration of nails, in addition to the above mentioned symptoms, they will be categorised as Category-C and require testing and immediate hospitalisation.
So far, there have been 62 cases testing positive for H1N1 among the total samples in Dakshina Kannada, out of which there were 6 deaths, said Dr Ramakrishna.
District Vector Borne Disease Control officer Dr Arun Kumar was present on the occasion.
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