india

Updated: Oct 06, 2019 19:14 IST

Two hundred and thirty one positive cases of Dengue were reported at government hospitals in Patna since September 28, when heavy rains lashed the state capital, leading to waterlogging in many localities.

The overall tally of dengue positive cases reported so far in the state this year has gone up to 1,127, which was lower than last year’s 2,122 cases.

As against 35 beds in dengue wards, the Patna Medical College Hospital (PMCH) has added another 30 for dengue patients, said its superintendent Dr Rajiv Ranjan Prasad.

At the Nalanda Medical College Hospital (NMCH), only two cases of dengue have been reported so far this month, said deputy superintendent Dr Gopal Krishna.

Most dengue cases are coming to the PMCH after many wards of the NMCH were submerged in knee-deep water following heavy rains on September 28. Its indoor medicine ward as well as the emergency unit was shut between September 28 and 30. The intensive care unit of the NMCH is still shut after rainwater entered its premises.

The government, however, said it was wrong to attribute the spike in dengue cases to the recent waterlogging in Patna.

“This is the season of dengue. It is wrong to attribute all dengue cases being reported now to waterlogging in Patna. Of the 2,122 dengue cases reported in 2018 till December, 1117 were from Patna. This year, we have so far reported 1,127 dengue cases,” said Bihar’s principal secretary, health, Sanjay Kumar.

He said 409 dengue positive cases had been reported between January and September 27 and 231 after that. 88 cases of Chikungunya had also been reported so far.

Kumar, however, said there was nothing to worry as the state health department had put in place a robust mechanism to contain any medical eventuality.

“The state government has organised 51 health camps in Patna of which 39 are at puja pandals. In addition, the AIIMS, Patna is holding 10 health camps and three more are being held by the Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences. We have 22 urban primary health centres, which are fully functional. Three mobile teams of doctors have also been deputed in Rajendra Nagar. They are moving on tractors in waterlogged areas of Rajendra Nagar locality of Patna to reach people’s doorsteps,” said Kumar.