Dengue surge in Bihar: 333 cases recorded in a day, hospitals on high alert

Bihar is in the grip of dengue as the state has recorded over 300 cases in a single day. Alone in September, nearly 3,000 cases of mosquito-borne disease were reported in the state hospitals. Capital Patna is the worst-affected district as it saw 91 cases on Wednesday.

Patna: Bihar is seeing a surge in dengue as the state recorded 333 cases of the disease on Wednesday taking the overall number of such cases beyond 3,000 in 2023 so far.

State capital Patna recorded the maximum 91 cases pushing the overall toll in the district to 916 this year. The hospitals in the state have been prepped up to deal with the surge and several beds have been reserved for dengue cases. Authorities are also carrying out preventive measures including spraying insecticides (fogging).

As many as 274 dengue patients are admitted in 12 government medical college hospitals in the state including 115 at JLN Medical College and Hospital at Bhagalpur. A total of 62 patients are undergoing treatment in the four medical college hospitals of Patna. There are 16 patients admitted at PMCH, 16 at IGIMS, 20 at AIIMS, and 10 at NMCH.

So far this year, 3099 cases of dengue have been reported in the state of which the bulk (2824 cases) were recorded alone in September. Bhagalpur, Siwan, Jamui, Aurangabad, Saran, and Munger are among the most affected districts. In the last 24 hours, 53 patients have been admitted to several government hospitals.

Dengue patients should drink plenty of water: The Health Department and the Urban Development Department are jointly giving special emphasis on fogging and anti-larva spraying in dengue-affected areas. In view of the increasing cases of dengue in Patna, senior doctor Dr Manoj Kumar Sinha has appealed to the people not to allow water stagnation anywhere near their houses.

In dengue, there is a lack of water in the body, hence to keep the body hydrated, a patient must drink plenty of water and consume electrolytes. Doctors also advise wearing full-sleeve clothes and using mosquito nets while sleeping.

Adequate quantity of platelets in blood banks: In view of the increasing cases of dengue, the Health Department has also directed its officials to keep an adequate quantity of platelets in reserve at all the blood banks. A State Dengue Control Room has also been created in Patna.