There is no need to panic regarding dengue as the situation is well under control, said District Collector Anshul Mishra in Madurai on Monday.
At a press conference held at the Collector’s office, he appealed to the media to be guarded while reporting and verify with the authorities concerned before writing on dengue cases.
The Collector said that the district administration had taken all out efforts to ensure that complaints regarding fever were diagnosed properly and any abnormal symptoms immediately referred to the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH). So far, out of 45 blood samples taken from patients, 11 tested positive to dengue. Till date, two persons had died due to dengue and one among them was admitted here from Sivaganga district. So effectively, one dengue death had been reported in Madurai district, he maintained.
The authorities at various levels are pro-active now, and are campaigning in full swing to prevent public from falling prey to dengue. He explained the steps taken by officials right from the village panchayat, municipal, panchayat union and Corporation of Madurai. Apart from fogging, the public have been told to practice safe methods in preserving water in their dwellings.
Mr. Anshul Mishra said that though the number of dengue cases referred to the GRH had not fallen in the last fortnight, the situation was well under control. “The number of cases had not risen. It has not fallen as well. It is maintaining the same trend. There is no need to panic. The GRH has good infrastructure and the dengue management is being done by a team of doctors,” he asserted.
Appeal
Reporters by verifying with the authorities can ensure that there is no communication gap or factually incorrect details being reported, Mr. Anshul Mishra said. He urged the media persons to check with the GRH Dean or with the DD Health directly, especially when there was a casualty as all fever need not necessarily be dengue.
Last week, eight persons having fever from Ulaganathapuram near Melur were tested positive for typhoid. Similarly, a woman Pasupathi of Palanganatham died due to viral fever, he clarified, while some sections of the media had reported the death as due to dengue.
He also clarified that Elisa Test alone could confirm dengue and there was no delay in getting the reports from the laboratory. The Collector added that he, along with senior medical officials monitored the progress on a daily basis.
To a pointed query on complaints of gutter water mixing with potable water in a couple of locations in city and extension colonies, Mr. Anshul Mishra said that in coordination with the Corporation and Municipal authorities, the problem would be addressed on a war-footing. Mass cleaning programmes are already on at the Government Rajaji Hospital and would be introduced in every ward. In many government-run schools, the children are taking a pledge to wipe off dengue by keeping the environment clean, he informed.
Government Rajaji Hospital Dean N. Mohan, Health Department officials and others were present at the press meet.
