HYDERABAD: The Director of Public Health in Telangana, Dr G Srinivas Rao, on Thursday said that rumours and reports suggesting an increase in dengue cases in the State are false.
Meanwhile, in response to the continuous rainfall experienced in Telangana over the past few days, top Health department officials convened a meeting to discuss seasonal diseases.
During the meeting, district officials pointed out that certain media organisations were disseminating inaccurate information, claiming that 10 people had died of dengue in Mulugu district within a week.
It was clarified that only four people had succumbed to dengue this month. Importantly, these individuals were already suffering from chronic conditions such as heart disease, lung problems, jaundice, and sickle cell anaemia, officials said. Dr Karuna Madapu, a paediatrician, said, “Dengue cases are there. But severe dengue is a little less this year.” The meeting also revealed that medical personnel in the district had been on high alert since June this year.
They have conducted camp management, house-to-house surveys, and fever awareness campaigns in the villages. So far, 398 camps have been organised, and medical examinations have been conducted for 24,678 people.
Among them, 1,392 were identified as fever victims and 28 as malaria victims. Further, an additional director of the malaria department was dispatched to Kothagudem to assess the situation there. Officials received instructions during the meeting regarding preparedness for potential medical emergencies following the rains. They were directed to ensure that dispensaries were well-prepared to handle emerging medical issues and maintain a record of individuals affected by fever, updating this information regularly in a designated portal.
District Medical and Health Officers were assigned the task of identifying high-risk areas and implementing precautionary measures accordingly. Prompt alerts to clinics in rural areas were stressed upon reports of fever cases. It was also emphasised that laboratory reports for diagnostic purposes should be provided within 24 hours. In cases where patients exhibit suspicious symptoms, treatment should commence immediately without waiting for lab results.