BHUBANESWAR: Amid the increasing dengue cases in the State Capital, a three-fold rise in the demand for platelets among infected patients has come as a cause of concern for the health authorities.
The dengue tally of the city, which was 664 till Monday, breached the 700-mark after detection of 50 more cases in the last 24 hours. The tally now stands at 714.
The continuous rise in cases has started mounting pressure on health facilities, particularly on the Capital Hospital. Two dengue wards have been opened in the Capital Hospital with a combined capacity of 60 beds. Of them, 45 beds are currently occupied. The hospital has started admitting dengue-infected children to the paediatric ward to reduce load on the dengue wards.
While detection of D2, the most virulent strain of the dengue virus, and co-infection of two subtypes in samples drawn from dengue patients in Bhubaneswar has remained a matter of concern, blood bank officials in the Capital Hospital said the demand for platelets has increased to over 30 per cent this year against 10 per cent last year.
“We now require at least 20 units of blood a day for platelet transfusion in dengue patients,” said a senior official of the hospital’s blood bank. He said that the increasing demand for platelets has thrown additional challenges as blood collection has remained low due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation officials said that the ongoing door to door awareness drive to deal with the menace is continuing and over 25,000 people in affected areas of the city have been sensitised on source reduction and other preventive measures.