Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 31: Five cases of dengue, all from Kathua district have been reported this year from Jammu region, following which the Health Department has started preventive measures.
”With monsoon season in the last leg, the cases of dengue can rise in the month of September but advance measures are being taken to fight the menace and prevent it timely,” a health official said.
He said last year, first dengue case was reported from the region in second or third week of September but this year this vector borne disease has showed his presence much before. The official said that no case has been reported this year from any part of Jammu region except Kathua district, from where five persons were tested positive till date.
“The first case was reported on August 3 when a 27 year-old youth namely Gourav son of Praveen Kumar of Budhi (Hiranagar, Kathua) was found positive for this vector-borne disease,” he said, adding, the other victims are 25-year-old Malika, a CISF official, resident of Karnataka (presently deployed at Nagri, Kathua), Ghanshyam (45) son of Mulkh Raj, resident of Ward No 1 (Kathua) and Sahil Kumar (24) son of Janak Raj and Kavita (33) wife of Shiv Nandan, both residents of Budhi (Hiranagar).
CMO Kathua, Dr Ashok Chaudhary, said that they have started spraying and have covered most of the areas. He said out of 21 wards, we have completed spraying work in ward 5 to 13 while Municipal authorities are also doing fogging and fumigation, particularly in those areas where most of the cases were reported last year.
“We are taking all necessary measures to prevent the spread of dengue in Jammu,” Director Health, Dr Sameer Mattoo said, adding that measures were being taken at personal, household, community and departmental level to fight the disease. He said the main cause of Dengue is stagnant water and the department is spreading awareness among the masses to prevent stagnation of water. The department has also sensitized its staff and Asha workers to combat the disease.
Dr Mattoo said that the Department has also released anti-larva fishes in many still water bodies, like ponds, in urban as well as rural areas to prevent the spread of mosquitoes. ”In the year 2018, 214 dengue cases were tested positive,” he said and added that the health department has already launched drive to prevent cases of dengue while the concerned agencies have also been roped into.
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