Dengue-like fever strikes Marathwada

Aurangabad, Maharashtra, Mar 20 (UNI) Dengue-like fever has gripped at least three Marathwada districts of Nanded, Aurangabad and Beed where over 2500 patients have complained of high fever.

According to information gathered by UNI from respective district health officers, a total of 2793 people have been detected suffering from dengue-like fever during the past one week or so.

Since, it is a self-limiting disease, the patients are being treated at their respective places, the health officials said.

About 1455 people have been found suffering from high fever, similar to dengue in Paithan tehsil of Aurangabad district over a period of one week, official sources told UNI.

According to Aurangabad district health officer (DHO) Dr S K Yelurwar, there are 714 people suffering from high fever in Paithan city alone and the remaining 741 are from various villages in Paithan tehsil.

Nanded DHO Dr S M Hasmi told reporters today that about 1088 people have been complained of dengue-like fever in various villages of the district.

Beed district epidemic officer Dr P K Pingle said about 250 people from eight villages in the district have been found suffering from high fever for last one week and they are being treated.

The officer added that few places in Beed district had reported an outbreak of dengue and chiken gunia in the month of January, but the outbreak has been now brought under control.

The district health authorities of the respective districts have sent blood samples of the patients to the Pune-based National Institute of Virology and the reports are awaited.

Health officials opined that Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are responsible for the spread of the ailment. The patients complain of of high-grade fever, coupled with weakness, and severe body and joint pains.

These type of mosquitoes breed in stored water, particularly in tanks, and the officals have advised people in the affected areas to clean up their water tanks at least once every week.

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