1,455 fever patients admitted to hospitals; officials suspect dengue

Aurangabad, Maharashtra, Mar 20 (UNI) As many as 1,455 people complaining of viral fever have been admitted to various government hospitals in the Paithan tehsil of the district even as the district health authorities are suspecting it to be an outbreak of ''dengue-like'' fever.

District Health Officer (DHO) Dr S K Yelurkar, who has been camping in the fever-affected Paithan town, told UNI today that of the 1,455 patients, 714 have been admitted to hospitals in the town alone, while the other 738 are in various hospitals and primary health centres in the rural parts of the tehsil.

Dr Yelurkar further said, 63 blood samples of the patients have been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, for verifying whether the fever is of dengue or any other specific viral ailment. The results of the samples are awaited, he added.

The DHO further said preliminary investigations have revealed that cause of fever is the EDC-GC mosquito as the patients have shown symptoms of high fever, with weakness and severe body-pain.

He said the EDC-GC mosquitoes are mainly found in stored water, particularly in tanks. He has advised people residing in the area to clean up their water containers atleast once a week to prevent the spread of the disease.

The health authorities have also set up four medical teams at the district level to conduct a scrutiny of the places where the outbreak of fever has been reported.

Besides, 10 teams comprising 30 medical officers have been deployed in the fever-affected areas in order to prevent the spread, he added.

Meanwhile, sources said health precautions are necessary in the town, as hundreds of devotees from across the state are expected to converge here from tomorrow for the town's annual fair.

UNI MPJ MJ/GK AK BST1450