Healthcare: Tamil Nadu
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Health: India
Dengue and Delhi
Dengue cloud over capital
Durgesh Nandan Jha TNN
The Times of India 2013/08/13
Dengue fever is the viral disease which is caused by the bite of the Aedes aegypt i mosquito. The total number of dengue cases reported in Jan-August 2013 at 41 is more than the count reported in corresponding figures for the previous two years. Delhi reported only 10 dengue cases in 2012, but in 2011, 38 cases were reported till August 10.
The data received also shows that a majority of patients diagnosed with dengue are below 40 years of age.
“The incidence of mosquito breeding has increased alarmingly in the last two weeks due to continuous rains and stagnation of fresh water,” said a senior municipal corporation official. He said 53 cases of malaria and four cases of chikungunya have been reported so far this year. Dr N K Yadav, the municipal health officer, added dengue breeding checkers are visiting all households to make residents aware of best practices.
“The symptoms are common for all viral illnesses. But dengue is characterized by high fever, pain in the eyes, rashes, nausea and vomiting. In some cases, there could be severe drop in platelet count and bleeding from the nose or gums which is reflective of the severity of the case,” said Dr Romel Tickoo, senior consultant internal medicine at Max Hospital, Saket. He said that certain painkillers are known to cause sudden decrease in platelet count and so they must be avoided.