HYDERABAD: As Hyderabad recovers from the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic, increasing cases of dengue are being reported in the city. According to the Director of Public Health Dr G Srinivasa Rao, this year, 447 of the over 700 dengue cases reported in the State are from Hyderabad. “We are closely monitoring the situation and have found the prevalence of dengue in urban areas like Hyderabad, Khammam, Rangareddy and Medchal. All necessary entomological works are being done by MAUD department to control the same,” said Dr Rao.
While Hyderabad has 447 cases, Khammam reported 128 cases of dengue, Rangareddy reported 114 cases and Medchal reported 89 cases. Districts like Adilabad, Bhadradri Kothugudem, Nizamabad and Nirmal reported- 89, 69, 49, 39, 30 cases respectively.
“We urge citizens to be cautious and warn them to not self-diagnose. This is seasonal fever time and the fever could be a symptom of dengue, malaria, viral fever or Covid-19. Only a diagnostic test can identify the correct reason. Do not make the mistake of treating every fever as Covid-19,” he added.
He stated that the 20 diagnostic labs in Telangana which were recently inaugurated have been carrying out 1500 dengue tests per day. “We are also using the ‘Breteau index ‘to find the mosquito larvae content in each district. Since ideally the larvae content must not increase beyond 50%, and Hyderabad and Warangal have reported a larvae content as 46 and 41 per cent respectively, we are considering them as vulnerable places. Additionally, Nirmal and Medchal districts reported 41 per cent larvae content,” he said. In terms of Malaria only two problematic districts were identified- Bhadradri Kothugudem and Mulugu with 220 and 129 cases respectively with all other districts reporting around 0 -10 cases each.