Mangaluru, Jul 5: In view of deaths of four persons suffering from confirmed dengue fever in Dakshina Kannada district in the past month, Minister for Health and Family Welfare U T Khader urged people to take serious cognisance in case of fever and approach the government health centres to get themselves tested for suspected dengue and malaria.
Addressing media persons at a press conference here on Sunday, he said that the spread of vector-borne communicable diseases such as malaria and dengue was common during this season, and the symptoms of dengue which is characterised by high fever, rashes, headache and severe muscle and joint pain, should not be taken lightly. Those suffering from fever and other symptoms must approach the District Wenlock Hospital, taluk hospitals or primary health centres (PHCs) at the earliest to get themselves checked for dengue and malaria, and avail treatment accordingly, he said.
Rapid Response Team
The minister said that a Rapid Response Team comprising of District Surveillance Officer, District Vector Borne Diseases Control Officer, Epidemiologist and Entomologist had been formed at the district level and similar teams at taluk and PHC level to visit areas where a case of dengue fever had been reported and test persons at random for dengue fever.
Providing a clarification on the four deaths caused due to dengue fever in the district, Mr Khader said that the deaths were not an indication of medical negligence or lack of treatment at the District Wenlock Hospital or taluk government hospitals. In all the four cases, dengue was detected at later stages and treatment was rendered by local doctors, until they were brought to Kasturba Medical College (KMC) Hospital or Fr Muller Medical College Hospital in Mangaluru where they died, he said, urging that cases of fever should be immediately tested and should be brought to the notice of government health centres if confirmed for dengue through NS1 or ELISA test.
Shrinivas Nayak from Peruvai, Geeta Nayak from Badagannur, Suresh from Uppinangady and Jagadish from Kaikara died of confirmed dengue fever in the district in the past month, while Nausheena from Padangady, Harish from Navoor and Rajeshwari from Kollamogaru died from suspected dengue fever.
He further instructed private hospitals in the district to treat patients with confirmed or suspected dengue fever only if they were capable of sophisticated treatment.
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