Although dengue fever, usually caused by a virus carried by infected mosquitoes, has always been a serious health concern for the people, experts say there is no vaccine available for the disease and that using insect repellents and bed nets is the best possible remedy to protect themselves from falling prey to the virus.
While 6-7 cases of dengue have so far been reported in the Kashmir valley, as many as 25 people have tested positive in the Jammu division of the Union Territory.
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Pertinent to mention here that the administration, in view of the rapid spike in the number of dengue cases in Jammu, has taken a slew of measures after taking an overall review of the situation.
The admin has ordered setting up of additional ten beds in each district hospitals and medical colleges of the Jammu division as the positive cases are expected to surge further after Monsoon.
Real Also day-3 of article 370 hearing- sc says, no question of brexit-like referendum sibal at sc: 'will of j&k people was not considered at all' Hassan said dengue performs unlike Covid-19 as there is no vaccine available for the disease.
He said Covid-19, a respiratory illness, caused by the virus known as SARS-CoV-2 is a communicable (contagious) virus, while dengue is caused through the bite of an infected Aedes species. He, however, said those having tested positive for dengue fever in Kashmir so far have a travel history.
The accumulation of stagnant water in waterlogged areas, according to the DAK president, provides an excellent breeding environment for Aedes mosquitoes, responsible for carrying the dengue virus.
However, he said the effect of dengue has always been insignificant in Kashmir as the patients having been tested positive had a travel history outside the valley into the neighboring states and that most of the patients, he said had duration of stay between 21-30 days in dengue prevalent areas.
“There is no specific treatment for dengue. However, preemptive measures like using insect repellents and the bed nets can reduce the incidence of dengue, although there is no vaccine available for the virus,” Dr Nisar told Kashmir Observer.
“There is every possibility that a person once tested positive for dengue can again be infected as there is a long-term immunity to the type of virus that infects the individual, he said, adding,“Dengue causes a high fever and the signs and symptoms, include headache, muscle, bone or joint pain, nausea, vomiting, pain in eyes, swollen glands and rashes,”.
State Surveillance Officer, Dr Harjeet Rai told Kashmir Observer that the vector borne disease (dengue) cases are expected to rise after monsoon and that the people must take preemptive measures to avoid getting infected.
He asked people to use mosquito repellents and wear full sleeves shirts so as to save themselves from the Aedes mosquitoes bite, which he said choose to breed in stagnant water accumulated by water logging mainly during monsoon.
He said the dengue case usually goes up in September and October months when monsoon is over and that dengue mosquitoes breed in tires, barrels, plastic drums and jerry cans. But there are various other indoor and outdoor breeding sites for the Aedes mosquitoes.
Dr Rai said the health department may go for fogging, a conventional technique used to combat Aedes mosquitoes and prevent dengue disease, in case it takes the shape of an epidemic.
“Since there is no vaccine available for the disease, we recommend people to use mosquito repellents and bed nets to prevent themselves from being bitten by the Aedes mosquito. Wear full sleeves shirts, long socks and long pants when going out,” Dr Rai added.
Replying to a question on the impact of Dengue in Kashmir, he said so far six positive cases with travel history have been detected in Kashmir that too through the rapid testing from a particular diagnostic lab.
He asked people having symptoms of dengue fever to adopt the proper procedure of testing other than rapid antigen testing.
He also advised people to spare at least ten hours on ten Sundays in getting their environment clean so that the Aedes mosquitoes won't have a breeding environment.
When contacted spokesman, Directorate of Health Service Kashmir, Dr Mir Mushtaq Ahmad said the prevalence of dengue has always been negligible in Kashmir compared to Jammu and that people need not to panic as the cases so far reported in the valley are nominal.
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