With the onset of monsoon, the number of viral fever cases is going up in Chikkamagaluru district. Around 50 patients came to the district hospital in the town with high fever on Wednesday alone. With this, the number of patients admitted to the hospital for fever stands at 120 as on Wednesday.
Officers of the Health and Family Welfare Department are left with the task to handle the increasing number of fever cases. There has been a shortage of cots in the 400-bed district hospital. The district surgeon and his staff are busy arranging beds for the patients. Since January this year, there has been 42 chikungunya and 25 dengue cases reported in the district. So far, no death has been reported.
S. Mallikarjunappa, District Health Officer, told The Hindu on Wednesday: “We are getting reports of people suffering from fever in Tipu Nagar in Chikkamagaluru town, Kalasapura, Lakhya, Marle and other parts. We are conducting a drive involving our staff to spread awareness on avoiding viral fever,” he said.
The officer said the administration had decided to conduct tests on all fever cases reported in the district. “Among the confirmed tests conducted this year, 25 dengue and 42 chikungunya cases have been found. Now, we will conduct to confirm the infection with regard to all cases reported,” he said.
The DHO says non-availability of drinking water in sufficient quantity was among the reasons for the spread of viral infection. “The infection is caused by mosquitoes that grow in clean water. As people are facing difficulty in getting sufficient water, they store water in open containers for a long duration. The disease-causing mosquitoes breed in water and cause infection,” he said. The Accredited Social Health Activists had conducted larva surveys in problematic areas and spread awareness.
Dr. Kumar Naik, district surgeon, told this correspondent that all efforts were being made to provide cots and beds for the patients. “We are making use of beds kept in blood banks and other sections for patients with fever. We have sufficient medicine to treat them,” he added.
Among the confirmed tests conducted this year, 25 dengue and 42 chikungunya cases have been detected
S. Mallikarjunappa,District Health Officer
