Massive campaign launched in Pune to tackle dengue

PUNE: In the wake of detection of two suspected cases of dengue in the city, Pune Municipal Corporation has launched a massive awareness campaign to tackle the menace, a senior official said.

Two suspected cases of dengue were detected on Friday and the patients were currently undergoing treatment at private hospitals, PMC Chief Medical Officer Dr Pramod Dhaigude said on Saturday.

Their blood samples have been sent to National Institute of Virology in the city for testing, he said.

Dr Yashwant Doiphode, Deputy Director, Maharashtra Health Services for Pune, Solapur and Satara districts, said extensive survey was on throughout Maharashtra for dengue, chikungunya and other diseases.

The civic bodies and others like civil surgeons have been instructed to carry out dengue prevention measures, following which civic bodies held high-level meetings to review the situation and chalk out strategy to tackle its spread.

Meanwhile, Dr Rajesh Gadia, consultant physician and incharge of ICU, KEM Hospital, where a dengue patient had reportedly died in the last week of September, said that six dengue patients have been admitted to hospital.

Their condition was improving, he said, adding that dengue cases during this time of the year was a normal phenomenon.

Besides, three other patients, suffering from leptospirosis, were undergoing treatment at the KEM Hospital, sources said.

Dr P S Pawar, Superintendent of government-run Sassoon General Hospital, said that in September, eight dengue patients were admitted to the hospital.