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AJ Hospital Offers Free Blood Test after One Death & 5 Journos were Affected with Dengue

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AJ Hospital Offers Free Blood Test after One Death & 5 Journos were Affected with Dengue

Following close on its heels after the death of Nagesh Padu (35) a TV cameraman who breathed his last on July 21 due to Dengue, now six more media persons belonging to Dakshina Kannada District Working Journalist’s Association (DKWJA) -Mangaluru, namely Srinivas Nayak, Jitendra K, Nikhil, Mahesh, Kishan Shetty, and Mithun have been affected with Dengue, and undergoing treatment. And as a kind gesture towards the journos of DKWJA , A J Hospital has come forward in offering FREE Blood Test Camp for the journos and their family members for the next ten days.

Mangaluru :Dengue disease has become the talk of the town, as 482 cases and five deaths due to dengue has been reported as of 26 July 2019. With such dengue numbers reported and people tested positive for dengue, there has been a spurt in the vector-borne viral infection cases in Dakshina Kannada.Regarding Dengue (DEN-gee) fever, it is a tropical disease caused by a virus carried by mosquitoes. The virus can cause fever, headaches, rashes, and pain throughout the body. Most cases of dengue fever are mild and go away on their own after about a week, but due to further complications people die also.

According to sources, Dengue fever is caused by four similar viruses spread by mosquitoes of the genus Aedes, and when an Aedes mosquito bites a person who has been infected with a dengue virus, the mosquito can become a carrier of the virus. If this mosquito bites someone else, that person can be infected with dengue fever. The virus can’t spread directly from person to person. In rare cases, dengue fever can lead to a more serious form of the disease called dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF). DHF can be life-threatening and needs to be treated right away.

During the Meet The Press with Deputy Commissioner Sasikanth Senthil held at the Press Club on 26 July, the inauguration of the Free Blood Test Camp for journos, was done by the DC, along with the Dean of A J Hospital & Research Centre Dr Ashok Hegde, Dr Sachidananda, the Deputy Medical Superintendent at A J Hospital, and Dakshina Kannada District Health and Family Welfare Officer, Dr Ramakrishna Rao.

The main discussion during the interaction with DC was on the Dengue disease that has haunted DK and Mangaluru. Speaking during the occasion, DC Sasikanth Senthil said, “All preventive measures have been taken to destroy the breeding places of mosquitoes in Mangaluru and other parts of Dakshina Kannada district. Unlike in previous years, there has been a rise in the cases this year and experts attribute this to poor rainfall, and weather difference. Normally, DK receives heavy rainfall in the month of June and July, which washes away puddles that become breeding grounds for mosquitoes. The sporadic rain have left the district with stagnant water in the surrounding of houses where mosquitoes breed”

“In the month of March 20 cases of dengue, in April 20 cases, in May 20 cases, In the month of June nearly 100 cases, and in the month of July over 250 cases of dengue have been reported. As of 26 July the total number of Dengue cases are 482, out of which nearly 400 have been discharged after treatment. Mangaluru has seen dengue cases during the past years, but this year the dengue cases have increased a lot. On the preventive measures, source deduction is the need of the hour. The households should ensure that fresh water do not get stagnated in their surroundings. You need to get rid of the larvae in and around the house, which are the main reason for mosquito breeding, and spread of dengue and malaria” added DC.

DC further said, “As many as 200 teams (with one health worker and two staff) have been constituted in Mangaluru city, to visit households and destroy the breeding ground of mosquitoes and also to create awareness among the people. The Mangaluru City Corporation will take up a drive to clear such water stagnation around the city. The teams will be doing door-to-door to create awareness on dengue. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are the ones spreading dengue, and they are more active during day light than at night, and they don’t go far or fly high. This mosquito which carriers the dengue virus, breeds in even small containers, tyres, plastic containers, coconut shells, etc, therefore cleaning of premises by removing such containers and emptying them at least twice in a week would bring down the numbers of mosquitoes. Water that is collected and gets stagnant mainly in terraces and house premises give scope for breed of dengue mosquitoes”.

“Daily report from private hospitals and govt hospitals/clinics on suspected cases have been sought, to monitor the situation. Even the educational institutions and hostels should ensure that breeding of mosquitoes are checked in their premises. Jeppu, Kodialbail, Bolara, Bunder, Gujjarakere and Arakerebail in Mangaluru city, Kadaba and Sullia taluks have witnessed spurt in Dengue cases. About 80% to 85% of the cases get cured without any complications. Only a few get complications which call for platelet transfusion. Due to our preventive measures against Dengue, there has been a significant reduction in larva source in the areas that have been sanitized. In a week’s time, we are expecting to see a drop in the number of dengue cases. Mangaluru City has been divided into grids based on the number of cases reported” said DC.

Before concluding DC said, “People should be careful in keeping their surroundings clean, and not allow water to get stagnated, which will allow for mosquito breeding. Once again my humble request to people is that they should check for larvae in and out of their houses, and also keep their surroundings clean, and thus we can control the spread of dengue. Coming Sunday will be observed as Dengue Drive Day, where at least one hour should be spent to control the larvae inside and outside house premises by clear stagnate water, and even I will be checking my house for larvae. In this drive, the district administration and NGOs will take part in this drive. Let us get united and let our fight be not against dengue but against larvae”.

Dr Ramakrishna Rao, said that five persons from the district have lost their lives due to suspected dengue. He stated that it has been confirmed that the death of three among them was caused by dengue. Rao further said that Veena Nayak who passed away at Kadaba three weeks back, Shraddha K Shetty, a student living near Jeppu Market, and of Nagesh Padu, journalist who lost his battle for life on Sunday night, died of dengue as per test reports. He said that in the case of Krish, a young boy, the report has not yet been received.

“The medical colleges in the district have come forward to join hands with the district administration in tackling dengue in the city limits. Representatives of these colleges agreed to extend support to the government in this regard. Based on the prevalence of the disease, the divisions have been divided into grids. Every medical college would be given one grid each. College teams have to visit these grids and check buildings, business premises and public facilities, destroy mosquito breeding centres, and create awareness among the general public” said Dr Rao.

Speaking on the symptoms of Dengue, Dr Ashok Hegde said, ” Common signs and symptoms of dengue fever include-high fever, possibly as high as 105°F (40°C), pain behind the eyes and in the joints, muscles and/or bones, severe headache, rash over most of the body, mild bleeding from the nose or gums bruising easily. Symptoms can start anywhere from 4 days to 2 weeks after being bitten by an infected mosquito, and typically last for 2 to 7 days. After the fever eases, other symptoms can get worse and may cause more severe bleeding; gastrointestinal problems like nausea, vomiting, or severe abdominal (belly) pain; and respiratory problems like difficulty breathing. Dehydration, heavy bleeding, and a rapid drop in blood pressure (shock) can follow if DHF goes untreated. These symptoms are life-threatening and need immediate medical care”.

Dr Sachidanand also speaking said, “If you think you have dengue fever, see a doctor right away. No specific treatment is available for dengue fever. Mild cases are managed with lots of fluids to prevent dehydration and getting plenty of rest. Drinking water, tender coconut, lime juice and fluids will reduce dengue. As per rumours that drinking papaya leaf juice will control dengue, my not be true. Most cases of dengue fever go away within a week or two and won’t cause any lasting problems. If someone has severe symptoms of the disease, or if symptoms get worse in the first day or two after the fever goes away, seek immediate medical care. This could be an indication of DHF, which is a medical emergency. To treat severe cases of dengue fever at a hospital, doctors will give intravenous (IV) fluids and electrolytes (salts) to replace those lost through vomiting or diarrhea. When started early, this is usually enough to effectively treat the disease. In more advanced cases, doctors may have to do a blood transfusion. In all cases of dengue infection, efforts should be made to keep the infected person from being bitten by mosquitoes. This will help prevent the illness from spreading to others.

“There’s no vaccine to prevent dengue fever. The best protection is to prevent bites by an infected mosquito. Be sure to: Use screens on doors and windows, and promptly repair broken or damaged screens. Keep un-screened doors and windows shut; Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, shoes, and socks when you go outside, and use mosquito netting over your beds at night; Use insect repellent, like odomos, neem oil, etc; Limit the amount of time spend outside during the day, especially in the hours around dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active; Don’t give mosquitoes places to breed. They lay their eggs in water, so get rid of standing water in things like containers and discarded tires, and be sure to change the water in outside containers, flower vases at least once a week. By taking these precautions and keeping yourselves away from areas that have a dengue fever epidemic, the risk of contracting dengue fever will be avoided” added Dr Sachidanand.


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