JAMMU: As many as 222 people have been tested positive for dengue in Jammu and Kashmir this year, a health department official said on Saturday, asserting that there is no need to panic as necessary measures are in place to deal with the vector-borne disease.

Last year, the total number of dengue patients in the state was 214, while no one has died due to the disease in the last four years, the official said.

At 75, Jammu district accounted for the maximum cases followed by Samba (73), Kathua (24) and Rajouri (22).

Six cases were reported from Udhampur, two each in Poonch, Ramban and Kishtwar and one each in Reasi and Doda districts.

There were only two cases reported from Kashmir valley, three others were from outside the state while the address of nine others remained unknown, he said.

"It is not a panic situation as almost all patients have recovered fully. We got the first dengue patient on August 2 and at present, the downtrend in such cases has already started and the threat of dengue will be over by next week," the official said.

From January 1 till date, 1084 blood samples were taken for screening of which 222 were found positive for dengue, the official said. The positive cases included five patients whose reports were received on Friday.

He said a campaign was launched by the health department to educate people about the preventive measures to be taken to keep themselves safe from the disease.

Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) also carried out a thermal fogging campaign and special sanitation drive to combat the spread of dengue and malaria, the official said.

Meanwhile, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Sanjeev Verma on Friday reviewed the measures being taken up to deal with dengue in the Jammu division at a high level meeting here.

The meeting was informed that adequate arrangements have been put in place to treat the patients and to deal with the disease, an official spokesman said.

He said the concerned officers apprised those present in the meeting that sufficient blood and treatment and diagnostic equipments are available in the hospitals and no casualty is reported so far.

Verma directed JMC for ensuring regular sanitation drives in every ward of the city, cleanliness of lanes and drains besides fogging and sprays.

He asked health services department to ensure that the dengue patients get proper and immediate treatment in all the health institutions of the division.

He also asked the department to ensure that awareness regarding the preventive measures and treatment for dengue is raised in every nook and corner of the region to fight the spread of this dreaded disease.

