VIJAYAWADA: With the monsoon rains pounding the city, viral fevers and common flu are on the prowl across Krishna district. Due to the breeding of mosquitoes in stagnant rainwater, seasonal fever cases are on a rise in the district.
However, the count of viral fevers, malaria and dengue have been negligible. In July, five dengue cases have been officially reported in the district, while since January, there were, in all, 45 cases. The number of malaria cases is even less with just five cases recorded from January this year. The cases related to typhoid fever and common cold with throat infections are more common.
Allegations have come across that some private hospitals are fleecing patients in the name of dengue. The district health officials are soon going to crack the whip on the diagnostic centres and clinics that are illegally confirming dengue. Speaking to TNIE, DMHO Krishna, TSR Murthy said, “Seasonal fevers are being reported in the district but most of them are not viral fever cases. Private hospitals need to notify us if they come across cases related to malaria and dengue, if they fail to do so, we will take action against them.”
The officials are also going to conduct surprise visits to diagnostic centres and pathology labs to check whether they are illegally confirming the fevers as dengue or not. In fact, none of the labs or the hospitals has the authority to confirm a case of dengue, as it can only be confirmed after the Elisa test, which is done in the Government General Hospitals.
Unauthorised dengue tests galore in district
A case of dengue can be confirmed only after the Elisa test, which is performed in the Government General Hospitals