Amid the festive season, West Bengal sees dengue upsurge

West Bengal is currently reporting an increase in dengue cases, with new Covid-19 cases being reported daily. With the vector-borne disease wreaking havoc on people ahead of the bustling holiday season, the rise in cases has become a reason for concern for state health officials.

According to data, the state health department shared on Saturday, 2,758 samples were sent out for ELISA testing, with 2,191 samples collected in government laboratories and the remaining in private laboratories.

“At least 292 samples tested positive for dengue. Till 3 August, 251 patients were treated in hospitals. The highest number of patients (60) admitted to hospitals was in North 24 Parganas, followed by 44 in South 24 Parganas. At Jalpaiguri in north Bengal 42 patients were admitted to hospital,” officials said.

Meanwhile, West Bengal reported 193 new Covid-19 cases on the same day. At least two people were killed. The state had 2,268 active Covid-19 cases, with 79 admitted to various hospitals on Saturday.

The situation appears to be concerning for the capital city too. So far, Kolkata has reported two deaths. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has determined that at least 13 wards are particularly vulnerable to dengue fever. The wards were determined based on tests performed by the KMC clinics. The civic body has also requested data from private laboratories and hospitals.

The state health department stated that, despite an increase in cases over the previous year, the situation is still under control.

“Dengue cases have shot up this year and infections are high. But the situation is well within our control and hasn’t reached an alarming stage. Awareness campaigns are being held,” said NS Nigam, state health secretary.