The dengue case count has surpassed 42,000, the highest cumulative number up to the 43rd week of a year since 2017, prompting the Bengal government to encourage officials in all districts, including Calcutta, to intensify efforts to control the disease.
According to sources, health secretary Narayan Swarup Nigam advised officials from the districts with spiraling dengue rates to step up efforts to limit mosquito breeding through cleanliness campaigns, larvicide spraying, and encouraging testing for early case detection during a meeting on October 28.
In addition to Calcutta, North 24-Parganas, Murshidabad, Jalpaiguri, Howrah, and Hooghly are experiencing exceptionally dire conditions.
The number of dengue cases in Bengal this year has been the highest since 2017 when comparing statistics through the 43rd week of the year. Also concerning is the high death toll from dengue.
Bengal had registered 42,666 dengue cases this year up until October 27, according to an analysis provided by the public health department; the number is likely to be closer to 44,000 if statistics from the past two days are included.
Till the 43rd week of 2017, there were 19,518 confirmed cases of dengue. 18,566 in 2018, 39,357 in 2019, 2,558 in 2020, and 2,875 in 2021 were the equivalent figures. Data from earlier than 2017 is not available.
Last week, the state reported 5,936 dengue cases, the most for any week since 2017.
Up till October 27, Lalgola in Murshidabad, followed by Deganga in North 24-Parganas, Bally Jagachha in Howrah, Gorubathan in Kalimpong, and Bhagwangola in Murshidabad, had the greatest number of cases among the state’s 341 blocks. Lalgola reported 1,024 cases in all.
Numerous cases have been reported by the Calcutta Municipal Corporation, Barrackpore Municipal Corporation, Serampore Municipality (Hooghly), and Howrah Municipal Corporation.
According to a senior health expert, the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which transmits dengue, often breeds in stagnant water that has been left undisturbed for at least seven days.
According to a health official in Hooghly, the dengue situation has been exacerbated by poor sanitation facilities in rural areas, such as the absence of employees to clean drains. Health officials claimed that this year’s protracted rainfall had made the issue worse.
According to sources, the administration was so gravely concerned that on October 29 evening, chief secretary H.K. Dwivedi met with district magistrates and health officials.
News Mania Desk
