VIJAYAWADA: The increasing spread of dengue and malaria in the State is instilling fear among people. According to the Health and Family Welfare Department, compared to the previous year the number of Malaria cases has increased by 197 per cent this year. On the other hand, there is a 30 per cent surge in Dengue cases when compared to the previous year.
Visakhapatnam district has witnessed a surge in Dengue cases, with a staggering 734 reported cases. Similarly, Alluri Sitarama Raju district is grappling with a significant outbreak of Malaria, totalling 3,000 reported cases. Additionally, Vizianagaram district is facing a dual threat, with both Malaria and Dengue cases reported at 266 and 300 respectively. In contrast, West Godavari district stands as the safest place in the State, reporting no Malaria cases and a minimal 16 cases of Dengue, the lowest among all 26 districts.
Vector-borne diseases, particularly Malaria and Dengue, are rampant across the State, demonstrating an alarming increase in almost all districts. According to the Public Health Department, the number of Malaria cases has surged from 1,396 in 2022 to 4,159 in 2023, covering the 36 weeks from January 1. Similarly, Dengue cases have spiked from 2,795 in 2022 to 3,655 by the 36th week of 2023.
Analysing both fevers, districts with more than 100 cases each include Alluri Sitarama Raju district with 3,000 Malaria and 114 Dengue cases, Anakapalle with 129 Malaria and 251 Dengue cases, Manyam district with 382 Malaria and 182 Dengue cases, Vizianagaram with 266 Malaria and 300 Dengue cases. Notably, West Godavari, Konaseema, Krishna, and Bapatla districts reported zero Malaria cases, and West Godavari reported the least Dengue cases with only 16. Meanwhile, Konaseema registered 26 Dengue cases, followed by NTR with 30, and Srikakulam with 34.
Speaking to TNIE, the State president of Praja Arogya Vedika (NGO) Dr MV Ramanaiah said, “The reported fever cases are tenfold higher than official figures. Private hospital cases aren’t mandated for reporting, lacking a tracking mechanism. The government should gather and publicly share comprehensive data. The ‘Friday-Dry Day’ programme needs better field implementation as the number of Dengue cases might surge during the rainy season.”
Stating that the State government taking all measures to curb the rising cases, Director of Public Health Dr Rami Reddy said, “We are collecting samples at the village level for free for every fever symptom. Earlier, people didn’t show much interest in testing for every fever until it spiralled out of control. But now, with the help of all the ANMs and Asha workers at the village level, we are effectively monitoring the situation.”