Beware of dengue during Games

Medicos in the national Capital have expressed apprehensions that the Capital may experience a dengue pandemic during the Commonwealth Games. According to sources, in a recent review of the Commonwealth Games health plan, a panel of doctors has said that dengue might take the form of an epidemic during the Games.

Sources added that in the review meeting, doctors said that if necessary steps are not taken it will be very tough to control dengue during the event.

Owing to construction works going on in most of the areas of the national Capital, grounds have been excavated and water has accumulated in the construction pits.

“Doctors have said stagnant water at different construction sites would be an ideal place for the breeding of Aedes aegypti, the mosquito responsible for the spread of the disease. This would make the dengue menace assume epidemic proportions during the Games. October is the month that records the largest number of dengue cases,” added the source.

In the meeting, attended by top officials of the health department, doctors have also said that areas having stagnant water should be cleared as soon as possible as this might even lead to an outbreak of dengue earlier then anticipated.

Asked about the preparedness of the civic agency to tackle the menace of dengue, Municipal Health Officer NK Yadav said that the civic agency is all set to deal with any emergency. “We are ready for dengue this time. Around 3,500 trained people have been hired and teams have been formed. They will be on duty from the second week of April instead of June. We have made all necessary arrangements in advance,” said Yadav. He further said that 12 rapid response teams have been formed to deal with any adverse situation.

Yadav said doctors have been appointed keeping in view the threat of dengue. “We have appointed doctors and field officers. The field officers will have to inspect their respective areas on a daily basis and prepare reports,” Yadav said.

Yadav said it is a well known fact that dengue is at its peak during the month of October as the most number of cases are registered in this month. But there is nothing to fear as ‘we are all set to tackle the menace,’ he said. He also added that the civic agency will run a series of awareness programmes to create awareness among the general public on the matter. A total of around 1,150 cases were registered in the national Capital in 2009 and two deaths were reported due to the disease.