Gurugram fights rise in vector-borne infections

It is not only the rising dengue cases that are causing alarm among residents and health authorities in Gurugram, but also the surge in the number of patients with flu-like illness, viral infections, sore throat and respiratory problems over the past few days.

The number of OPD patients pouring in the District Hospital has increased from an average of 2,000 patients to 2,600 per day. The health authorities have attributed the increase to viral infections.

This is a consequent effect of rains and waterlogging that Gurugram witnessed in the past couple of weeks. The leakages of sewerage and unauthorised dumping of garbage on roadsides have also added to the woes of the residents.

Local residents claimed that stagnant water has provided a breeding ground for a wide variety of insects, particularly mosquitoes, which have posed a threat of vector-borne diseases.

Arun Bansal, a resident of Sector 15, Part-2, alleged that sewage water was overflowing in his area for the past three days.

KK Gandhi, president of Industries Association, Sector 37, said dirty water is stagnant on the entry point to industrial area from Sector 10-A side for the past three months. Thousands of employees working in industries walk through dirty water on a daily basis, constantly prone to vector-borne diseases, he said.

Residents of Sector 88-A, D-2 lane of Ardee City, Sector 46, Sector 56, Sector 5, Sector 45, Sector 10-A, Sector 14, Sector 22 and many other areas have reported of potholes and stagnant water on roads in their localities.

MC Chief Engineer Manoj Kumar said he had already ordered the repair of craters and potholes on the roads within 8-10 days. The work was initiated and would be visible by next week, he said.

The Principal Medical Officer, Dr Jai Mala posted at the District Hospital, admitted a surge in patients of viral infections and said the Health Department was fully prepared to face the rush of patients. The number of general OPD had increased by 600 to 700 patients and the doctors were sitting late to check the patients. “We have sufficient stocks of medicines and provide them free of cost to the patients,” she said.

She added that a total of 257 patients were admitted to the hospital on Wednesday against its bed capacity of 170 patients. “We are managing the situation with all possible resources available to us,” she said, while adding that the discharge time of patients had been reduced to manage the space and situation.

Meanwhile, at least two cases of dengue are reported daily to the government hospitals during the past one week. As many as 44 cases of dengue were reported till Wednesday, the District Surveillance Officer of the Health Department, Dr JP Singh, confirmed here today.

Claiming that the health workers were on their toes during these days, he said a total of 44,542 containers, coolers etc. were checked on Wednesday, out of which, dengue larvae was found in 492 containers. The health teams also visited 8,957 houses and dengue larvae were found in 176 houses on Wednesday.

Singh said 153 notices under Section 214 of the Municipal Bylaws Act, 1973, were issued to house owners at whose premises dengue larvae were found today. So far, a total of 11,800 notices had been issued this year.

Fogging carried out in various sectors

• Dr Ashish Singla, Chief Medical Officer of MC, Gurugram, said the MC teams had sprayed larvicide in 64,522 houses during this month and notices under Section 214 of the Municipal Bylaws Act, 1973, were issued to the owners of 103 houses. Fogging was done at 445 places and would continue in the near future, he added.
• Dr Singla said fogging was done in Sushant Lok Phase-1, 2, 3, all sectors of Haryana Urban Development Authority, Palam Vihar, New Palam Vihar, South City-1 and 2, Uppal Southend, RD City, Sun City, Civil Lines and various colonies, residential societies and market areas of Zone-1 and Zone-2 of Old Gurugram.