Indian Express 10.08.2010
As MCD gets tough on dengue, H1N1 adds to worry
Express News Service Tags : dengue, swineflu, delhi Posted: Tue Aug 10 2010, 02:01 hrs
New Delhi: In the last one week, 106 cases of H1N1 influenza have been reported from the Capital, leading to fears of another epidemic outbreak.What makes the situation more worrying is the fact that cases of dengue are also on a rise — eight cases were reported from the Capital on Monday, taking the total number this season to 121. Since last year, Delhi has reported 9,895 cases and 100 deaths due to H1N1.
Together, experts said, H1N1 and dengue can prove troublemakers for the city as its gets ready to host the Commonwealth Games in October.
In conducive environmental conditions, the biggest worry for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and state health department is to control dengue and H1N1 outbreaks while hosting the international event.
According to epidemiological studies, dengue viral fever has a four-year cycle during which the endemic disease assumes epidemic proportionsIn 2006, nearly 50 people died due to dengue while approximately 3,600 cases were reported.
“Dengue fever typically peaks in September-October and we are expecting maximum cases around that time. We have intensified our efforts but are keeping our fingers crossed,” said Dr N K Yadav, Municipal Health Officer, MCD.
According to the authorities, cases of H1N1 have been steadily increasing over the past few weeks. “We have nearly 15-17 cases a day now. The dip in temperature makes it conducive for the virus to multiply,” said Dr Debasish Bhattacharya, Delhi government’s nodal officer for H1N1.
Epidemiologists maintain H1N1 cases will continue to trickle in for years, following the patterns set by previous pandemics.
“Whatever is happening is an extension of a pattern. At present, dengue is a bigger worry than H1N1 because the mortality is much higher in dengue. While H1N1 has self-limiting infections, dengue requires intensive monitoring of patients, which will test Delhi’s health infrastructure in the coming months,” said Dr Bir Singh, professor of Community Medicine at the AIIMS.
