Central Health Ministry team visits Uttarakhand to assess dengue outbreak

A team formed by the Union Ministry of Health reached Dehradun on Friday to assess the situation following the outbreak of dengue in the state.

The team sent from the centre met the doctors at the Gandhi Shatabdi Hospital here to discuss the measures to control and prevent further cases of dengue in the state.

The reason for the outbreak of the disease has been ascertained to be heavy rainfall coupled with frenetic construction activity in the state.

"Around 1,400 patients are getting themselves treated at various hospitals across the state in the wake of the outbreak of the mosquito-borne disease. In Dehradun alone, around 800 cases of dengue have come to light. Several people have lost their lives too," Dr SK Gupta, Chief Medical Officer, Dehradun said.

The health department in the state is being looked after by Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat.

"A guideline was issued in 2014 in the national capital which was named as National Guideline of Dengue. The treatment of the patients will be done under these guidelines in Uttarakhand too," Professor Ashutosh Bishnoi, AIIMS New Delhi and member of the central team said.