WARANGAL: Hospitals in Karimnagar district are witnessing a steep increase in number of dengue cases after water following heavy rains inundated several low-lying areas in several villages, towns and cities in the region.
There has been a rush of cases in state-run government and private hospitals in united Karimnagar not only in Peddapalli, Rajanna Sircilla and Jagtial, but also in Mancherial district.
Total 570 dengue cases have been registered in the erstwhile Karimnagar district during past six months. They include 188 in Jagtial district 108 in Peddapalli district and 38 in Rajanna Sircilla district. More dengue cases are being reported from Manakondur, Ramagundam, Gangadhara, Godavarikhani, Kothapally, Sultanabad, Velgatoor, Manthani and Thimmapur mandals.
Six persons belonging to Manakondur, Yeligedu, Velgatoor, Ramagundam, Godavarikhani and Sultanabad have recently died while undergoing treatment for dengue fever.
There may be more number of these cases, as many government hospitals in erstwhile Karimnagar district do not have dengue testing kits or equipment and machinery required for counting blood platelets or conduct ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay) test to diagnose dengue fever.
Health officials of hospitals situated in semi-urban and rural areas are referring patients to the government main hospital in Karimnagar for conducting Elisa tests, as they do not have the necessary equipment.
Patients are shelling out money from their pockets by visiting private hospitals or diagnostic centres for these tests. Blood platelets must be counted both in morning and evening to diagnose the fever. Taking advantage of this, private hospitals are looting patients by charging from ₹500 to ₹2,000 for conducting dengue fever tests.
Health officials say not allowing water to stagnate in vacant and open areas, and observing dry days at homes, will prevent growth of mosquitoes and check the rising number of dengue cases in the district.
