Goemkarponn Desk
PANAJI: Even though there have been rare dengue occurrences in recent weeks throughout the State, the prolonged dry spell is keeping health department officials on their toes as they prepare to deal with a potential outbreak.
When it rained nonstop in July, the State recorded at least one dengue case per day.
The succeeding dry spell is concerning because it gives the perfect environment for the dengue mosquito to develop, according to Dr. Kalpana Mahatme, who oversees the State’s national vector borne illness prevention program.
110 confirmed dengue cases have been reported in the State from January to July of this year. More than 30 of them were reported in just last month (July), with localized epidemics in Vasco and St. Cruz.
The disease spread over the entire state from confirmed cases reported in Mapusa, Siolim, Colvale, Saligao, Cortalim, Pernem, Casarvanem, Sankhalim, Candolim, Aldona, Bicholim, Porvorim, Chimbel, Margao, Vasco, and Navelim.
Dr. Mahatme believes that any effort to reduce the dengue danger must have the people playing a proactive role.
As dengue has raised its tentacles in neighbouring states including Karnataka, the state-run health facilities are vigilant against vector borne diseases.
“The neighbouring states are having extremely high cases of dengue. We are vigilant as the new trend which is being seen is the influx of migrant population coming in with fever and testing positive for dengue in rapid tests,” a senior medical officer said.
The officer sought cooperation from the people and local self-governing bodies to continue to keep vector borne diseases under control in the State. The DHS has advised people to take all preventive measures to keep the vector borne diseases at bay.
