Dengue spreads its tentacles in Uttarakhand

The threat of Dengue is looming large in Uttarakhand after three persons died of the vector-borne disease and 30 more new cases were reported.

Three persons from Haridwar district who had tested positive for Dengue died during the past one fortnight, an official statement here said. So far, nearly 352 cases, mostly from Haridwar, have been reported in the hill state. Nearly, 20 patients have been referred to the government Doon hospital, official sources said.

The health department has put in place several preventive measures and constituted medical teams to check the spread of the disease, Health Minister Surendra Singh Negi said, that dichloro diphenyl trichloroethane (DDT) is also being sprayed in the affected areas. Negi also held a high level meeting at the Vidhan Sabha here to take the stock of the situation.

Residents of the affected areas like Haridwar have been asked to clean water coolers at their homes, Negi said adding he has also directed the top health officials and doctors to spread awareness on Dengue and malaria in the state particularly in the plains.

Negi also stated that nearly 648 cases of malaria have also been reported in the state.

The Chief Medical Officers in the affected districts have been put on the alert and asked to take preventive measures like cleaning up the drains, intensifying fogging and creating awareness among people about the importance of maintaining hygiene, he said.