AP Alerted Over Surge in Dengue Cases

Andhra Pradesh dengue cases: The National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme has cautioned AP alongside a few other states to simultaneously launch anti-dengue programmes in full force alongside the existing Covid-19 programmes to prevent unnecessary spurt in the former.

This warning become necessary in view of the similar symptomatology of fever, myalgia, running nose, malaise, etc., at least in the initial period of infection, thus making the clinical diagnosis difficult in infections like Covid-19, dengue, H1N1 and chikungunya.

In the eventuality of a patient being simultaneously infected with more than one virus (co-infection), the diagnostic challenge is further compounded, it said.

The Andhra Pradesh government should wake up to the reality sooner as the dengue cases are only rising this year as per the records available.

While up to 750 cases of dengue had been registered till July this year according to the National Programme records, intermittent rains are only worsening the situation.

Every year, a few thousand cases of dengue are registered in AP, but these cases have come down in the last one year, records show. Still, in this post-Coronavirus world, the combo of the diseases would prove deadly health experts suggest.

Visakhapatnam has already shown a record of about 250 dengue cases till August this year alone.

The agency population encounters this menace more than anyone else due to multiple factors, including low awareness levels and hygiene issues. Its dependence on quacks only multiplies the tribal population’s misery.

The National Programme experts have asked the governments to focus upon specific clinical features in the categorical clinical diagnosis of a case. The treatment is mainly dependent on the severity or predominant infection of either dengue or Covid-19.

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