State posts its worst dengue figures

Five more fever-related deaths were reported in the State on Monday. Two suspected dengue deaths, including that of an 11-year-old boy from Attingal, were reported from Thiruvananthapuram. One suspected leptospirosis death and one fever death were reported from Kozhikode while one confirmed H1N1 death was reported from Malappuram.

Of the 14, 085 persons who reported with fever in various government hospitals in the State, 118 were confirmed as having dengue fever. While 72 of the confirmed cases are from the capital district, Kollam reported 33 cases.

The 2017 dengue epidemic has now chalked up a total of 8,171 confirmed cases and 29,582 suspected cases and can officially be termed the worst dengue episode to hit the State so far.

The official figures provided by the Health Department’s Integrated Disease Surveillance Project puts the confirmed number of dengue deaths at 14 and that of suspected dengue deaths at 67.

Till now, the 2013 dengue epidemic, in which 7,938 confirmed cases of dengue and 29 dengue deaths were reported had been considered to be the worst episode in the State.

However, with all four virus sero types as well as the vectors — the Aedes species of mosquitoes — being endemic in the State, huge outbreaks with a significant percentage of the population getting affected is a scenario that the State may have to reckon with in future too.

Aedes species is a hardy mosquito and its elimination in the wild is virtually impossible. The State has got used to seasonal annual outbreaks of dengue since 2003 but epidemics like the current one with huge number of cases should be anticipated if vector control activities are not systematic throughout the year, public health experts point out.

This year, leptospirosis and H1N1 has also been causing significant mortality. Leptospirosis has claimed nine lives (suspected death figures show 29), while H1N1 has been vicious this year, chalking up 886 cases and 57 deaths so far.

Meanwhile, the three-day intensive Statewide cleaning and sanitation drive and vector control campaign announced by the government, begins on Wednesday.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had personally sought the cooperation of all private sector hospitals as well as educational institutions in the State and asked them to join hands with the Government in fighting the fever crisis in the State.