At least 71 dengue and 60 chikungunya cases were reported this year from Pune district’s rural areas. Ahead of National Dengue Day (May 16), health authorities have stepped up awareness campaigns to combat and control the spread of dengue fever.
“We want to promote community participation in the dengue awareness programmes and spread correct information about treatment and control measures,” a district health official said.
Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral disease transmitted between humans by the Aedes mosquitoes. The disease manifests as a flu-like illness with symptoms including high fever, headache, vomiting, muscle and joint pains and a characteristic skin rash. According to the World Health Organisation, occasionally it develops into a potentially lethal complication called severe dengue.
District Malaria Officer Dr Aparna Chavan emphasised the need to control mosquitoes in and around one’s home, besides using insect repellents. “This year we sent 895 suspected blood samples of patients who had reported to primary health centres to the National Institute of Virology for further investigation. A total of 71 samples tested positive for the dengue virus while 60 samples tested positive for the chikungunya virus,” she said.
According to Dr Chavan, strict instructions have been issued to screen people with symptoms at primary health centres and blood samples of suspected cases are sent for lab investigations.
Once dengue is confirmed, surveillance is stepped up at around 200 homes from the affected person’s residence.
“Entomological surveillance is also conducted and efforts are taken to spread awareness about preventing vector-borne diseases, “ Dr Radhakishan Pawar, Deputy Director (Health), Pune, said.
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In Pune Municipal Corporation areas, health department officials said that of the 116 suspected cases this year, eight each had tested positive for dengue and chikungunya. Instructions have been issued to conduct container surveys and ward offices are directed to avail of adequate medicine stocks from the headquarters, Assistant Health Officer Dr Rajesh Dighe said.
Dr Nina Borade, Chief Medical Officer, PMC, said that a circular dated May 10 was circulated asking ward offices to step up awareness across ashram shalas, old-age homes, schools and colleges apart from undertaking surveillance activities.
As per official data, authorities had reported 382 dengue-positive cases from Pune city in 2024, while there were 310 such cases from the district’s rural areas. Health authorities reported 220 confirmed dengue cases from these rural areas under 13 tehsils in 2023. The city reported 272 confirmed dengue cases in the same year.
