It is not necessary for everybody with viral infection to get platelet count and blood tests done to check for Dengue or other viral infections.
Experts of public health stressed on this aspect during the meeting on Friday held at the office of the Deputy Commissioner to review the situation of dengue and other communicable diseases in Dakshina Kannada.
Physician Shrinivas Kakkilaya said that dengue has rarely led to death. Dr. Kakkilaya said that a person can be cured of normal fever with two days of rest. People need to visit medical centres only if other symptoms namely rashes on the skin, redness of eyes, body ache and exhaustion are noticed two days after the fever and get tests done.
Dr. Kakkilayac also advised doctors to not insist on blood tests and count of platelets on a regular basis, which, he said was unnecessary. He also condemned the practice of administering platelets, which he said should be done only in cases where there was blood transfusion.
“The National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) have made it clear in their guidelines that insisting on such clinical practices only leads to fatality,” he said while stressing the need for measures to tell people clearly facts regarding dengue and clear their apprehensions.
Another physician Shantaram Baliga said private and government doctors should follow NVBDCP guidelines that are very clear. Dr. Baliga wanted District Administration and Health Department to chart out a detailed plan to tackle dengue in the coming years.
Earlier, District Vector Borne Disease Control Officer, Arun Kumar S.B. said as many as 281 persons have been infected with dengue virus of which four persons succumbed to this viral infection so far since January. Dr. Kumar said there were 1,165 persons suspected to have been infected by this virus in the same period.
Mayor Jesinta Alfred, Deputy Commissioner A.K. Ibrahim and Chief Executive Officer of Zilla Panchayat P.I. Sreevidya and District Health Officer Ramakrishna Rao chaired the meeting.
