Mysuru: In the wake of direction from the District In-charge Minister H C Mahadevappa, the health authorities visited the Cheluvamba Hospital and interacted with the doctors about fever cases. To know exactly which virus is posing the problem, few blood samples of those suffering from viral fever including dengue will be sent to Manipal Centre for Viral Research in Udupi.
Soon after taking part in the International Yoga Day celebrations on Wednesday, in the wake of alarming increase of suspected dengue cases in the district, Minister Mahadevappa convened a meeting with the district health officials. During the meeting, he instructed the authorities to work together to combat dengue in the district. He also directed the district health officials, corporation health officers, Mysuru Medical College Research and Institute to work together to come out with the much needed solution for dengue.
Based on his direction, on Thursday, District Health Officer Dr. B Basavaraju, MCC Health Officer Dr. Ramachandra and Dr. Krishnamurthy, Director and Dean of MMC and RI visited the biggest women and child care facility in Old Mysuru and met the patients. The DHO said some of the blood samples would be sent to a lab in Manipal.
Dr. Basavaraju said, “Dengue is confirmed only after Elisa test. Though most of the viral fevers may look almost similar to dengue, with Elisa test, many cases have been proven negative. Still in some of the cases, though Elisa test is negative the patients are becoming serious and their platelet count has come down drastically. Hence to know what exactly is the reason, we are sending few blood samples to Manipal Centre for Viral Research in Udupi. We have spoken to them. They too have assured to do their best. For any viral fever including dengue, we give the same treatment which includes increase in platelets and nutrition improvement but we want to know which virus is posing the problem.”
In days to come district health authorities are also planning to hold a meeting with community medicine department experts to chalk out a plan to control mosquitoes. As on Thursday, across the district, among 1359 suspected dengue samples which were tested, 170 samples found positive.
In Chamarajanagar district, among nearly 160 samples tested, 88 were found positive. Among 88 cases, in Chamarajanagar Urban alone which comprises nearly 69,000 population, from nearly 16,000 households, 36 positive dengue cases have been reported. Last year, that is between January to December, 2016, the district had reported 103 dengue cases.
