Rise in dengue cases

Amidst the fear of swelling cases of COVID, the dengue cases have also started increasing across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir thus putting the Health Department to gear up for augmenting healthcare facilities.Dengue cases have started rising in the UT of J&K and so far, dengue symptoms are diagnosed in 22 people. The most of the cases are found in Jammu.However, the health department has tightened its belt to fight the rising cases and have started making people aware to prevent the spread of the virus.Apart from the Health Department, the Jammu Municipal Corporation has also started the exercise of fumigation to prevent its spread,” sources said adding that the Jammu and Kashmir Malaria Department, so far this year, have confirmed dengue symptoms in 22 people.Till June there were only five patients but in the next two and a half months, 17 more people were infected with dengue,” sources said and added that out of the total 22 cases, 17 are residents of Jammu district comprising 11 men and six women.One patient each is from Samba, Rajouri, Udhampur and Kupwara districts while one patient is a resident of another state.In Kashmir's Kupwara also, one person, who was diagnosed with dengue had returned from another state.Last year, dengue was confirmed in 37 patients and there is a possibility of more dengue cases in the months from July to September.The department is always on its toes. Dengue mosquito is more likely to breed between 15 to 30 degree Celsius temperature and many people think that this mosquito is caused by dirt, but it is not so. Dengue mosquitos occur if water remains stagnant and people are constantly being made aware of this.Dengue has wreaked havoc in Jammu division eight years ago in the year 2013 as cases swelled so high in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts that for the first time, the base camp of the Amarnath Yatra had to be converted into a health infrastructure.