Jammu: The dengue cases have mounted to 441 in Jammu region with city’s residential colonies recording 271 positive cases followed by Kathua district.
Malariologist, Dr Belu Sharma told Greater Kashmir that “Today, seven dengue positive cases were reported from Samba and Rajouri districts – Six cases from Samba and one from Rajouri district.”
As the situation has turned worrisome with the increasing dengue cases especially from within the Jammu city’s residential colonies, the health authorities have established a 54 bedded ward exclusively for the dengue cases in the SMGS Hospital, Shalamar.
This arrangement has been made in the pediatric ward of the SMGS Hospital at Shalamar and the same was reviewed by the Principal government medical college (GMC) Jammu Dr Shashi Sudan.
“197 suspected dengue patients have been admitted in the SMGS hospital and 45 of them have been tested positive for dengue. They are being treated here,” said Dr Shashi Sudan while speaking to the media persons.
While admitting that there is a surge in dengue cases, the Principal said that the dengue cases are increasing following which they have made arrangement of 54 beds in the pediatric ward of the SMGS Hospital.
Medical Superintendent, SMGS Hospital, Dr Dara Singh said that from the last one months the dengue cases have increased.
“197 suspected dengue cases (have fever) have been admitted. Of these 197 suspected cases, 62 patients have been confirmed with dengue,” he said. He, however, said that 25 of them have been discharged after recovering from dengue and rest are still under treatment.
“We have also brought dengue testing kits to SMGS Hospital. These kits give test reports within 20 minutes. Earlier, we had to send samples to the GMC Jammu and it was a time-consuming process for the patients admitted in SMGS due to the rush of the number of tests,” he added. He said that they have also made adequate arrangements of blood in the blood bank of the hospital.
It may be recalled here that two persons including a woman have lost their lives due to dengue in one month. They are an ATM guard of Sunderbani, Rajouri and a woman from Udhampur District.