VIJAYAWADA: Dengue cases in the State have shown a noteworthy decline this year, with only 2,498 cases reported in 28 weeks from January 1 to July 16.Visakhapatnam district topped the list with 455 cases, followed by Kurnool with 235 cases, and YSR Kadapa district with 218 cases. On the other hand, lowest cases were reported in West Godavari, Konaseema, and Srikakulam with 9, 11, and 12 cases, respectively. The current numbers indicate 60% reduction in cases compared to the same period in 2022.
However, a concerning trend has been identified by TNIE, showing high Dengue incidence in a few districts over the past four years, starting from 2020. According to official statistics, the most Dengue prone districts are Vishakhapatnam with a total of 2,548 cases recorded in the last four years, followed by Kakinada (1,197), Vizianagaram (944), Anakapalle (815), Kurnool (778), and YSR Kadapa (711).
While the northern Andhra districts have historically shown higher vulnerability to Dengue, this year, the Rayalaseema region has seen an increase in cases, with four districts crossing the 100 mark. According to the department of public health and family welfare, the credit for this substantial decrease goes to the various measures taken by the government. Among these measures, the government supplied a large number of Rapid Dengue Testing (RDT ) kits and ensured testing, treatment, and case management facilities were available across multiple hospitals and medical centres.
The government’s efforts also extended to other vector-borne diseases like malaria and free treatment for both malaria and dengue cases has been provided under the Aarogyasri scheme since 2019, making healthcare accessible to the affected population.
Innovative practices such as the Vector Control and Hygiene app have been employed to address sanitation issues, and the Friday-Dry Day campaign has been implemented at the grassroot-level. Additionally, the strategic release of 1 crore Gambusia fish in water bodies has been carried out to control mosquito larvae.
To ensure early detection, the testing facility for malaria and dengue has been expanded to the village and ward levels, with regular monitoring of fever incidence and other health activities. Domiciliary visits by village and ward volunteers have been conducted to identify fever cases, and ANMs have been actively involved in testing and diagnosing dengue symptomatic cases.
Director of Public Health said that the government’s continuous efforts, collaborations with various departments, and effective implementation of control measures have played a pivotal role in curbing vector-borne diseases in the State.