NEW DELHI: As dengue cases are seeing a huge spike in India, especially in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, Union Health Ministry on Friday held a high-level inter-ministerial review meeting and asked the states to be vigilant to contain the dengue outbreak.
The meeting with nine states and 18 municipalities reporting a high number of dengue cases came after India saw a 50 percent rise this year in dengue cases in comparison with last year in the same period.
Chairing the high-level review meeting on the dengue situation and preparedness status in nine high-burden states, including Delhi, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra advised them to identify the hot spots, to increase vector surveillance, geotagging of dengue cases for taking preventive actions, and ensuring hospital readiness
The officials from other states, who attended the meeting on hybrid mode, were Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. The 18 municipal corporations, including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Mumbai also virtually participated in the meeting.
Focusing on the prevention, containment, and management of dengue cases given the onset of the monsoon and the rise in dengue cases, the health secretary said, “It is important for relevant stakeholders including the Urban Development Ministry, states, municipal corporations and local self-government bodies to cooperate and work in tandem to prevent and manage dengue cases in the country.”
He highlighted the need for pre-emptive steps and public health measures ahead of the monsoon season, when dengue cases typically peak around August, September, October, and November.
Chandra emphasised that cases have been increasing over the past four years, year after year. In 2022, a total 2.33 lakh cases and 303 deaths were reported. In 2023, a total of 2.89 lakh cases and 485 dengue deaths reported in the country. The urban areas have been contributing 55-58 % of the total cases for last few years. However, in 2023, it had increased to around 68%.
Although dengue cases generally peak in October, this year’s trend shows that, as of July 31, 2024, the number of cases is already almost 50% higher than at the same time last year, he pointed out, and urged the states to ensure that they are prepared for the upcoming peak.
While the number of cases has been rising over the past four years, the Dengue Case Fatality Rate has decreased from 3.3% in 1996 to 0.17% in 2023 due to focused, timely and collaborative efforts, the Health Secretary added.
“We need to ensure the availability of platelets and hospital resources in the health departments to bring down the fatality rate.”
Dengue is a fast emerging, outbreak-prone, and mosquito-borne viral fever.
Over the years, dengue has largely transitioned as an epidemic in urban centres due to relatively higher temperature (Urban Heat Island), higher concentration of population, rapid construction, inadequate solid waste management and improper water storage practices contributing to increased density of the vector Aedes mosquito.