Rajasthan state capital Jaipur is taking a hard line in its efforts to control mosquito-borne diseases, imposing fines against those who allow for breeding sites on their property. At the time of writing, 141 homeowners in the city have been served with challans within a one-month period for failing to deal with breeding sites on […]
Dengue
Domestic dengue vaccine could be available in 2020
There may be renewed hope of combating dengue fever amongst reports of cases spiking over recent weeks. A domestically produced dengue fever vaccine may be made available in 2020. The dengue vaccination will be introduced in India early next year. This rollout of the vaccine will only be partial, however. A senior official of the […]
Dengue data: Government claims versus reality
Is India mishandling its dengue data concerning deaths from the disease? The latest report by The Lancet claims there is a mismatch between the numbers from its study and the ones reported by India to the World Health Organization (WHO). The mosquito-borne tropical disease – which the WHO considers the world’s fastest-growing mosquito-borne disease and […]
Mobilising people to fight vector-borne diseases in Delhi
“Probably for the first time, the Centre, state and all local bodies will put together their efforts to mobilise the community for a public health activity,” said Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, as he announced a three-day campaign in Delhi beginning this week to increase public awareness of vector-borne diseases yesterday. Amidst the monsoon […]
Monsoon season: Delhi prepares for mosquito-borne diseases
The monsoon season brings with it mosquitoes. The mosquitoes bring with them diseases. And Delhi is committed to making sure they are kept under control before the arrival of the first showers . In a meeting with municipal corporation and hospital officials, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said it is important that preventive action is taken […]
Dengue fever: Strict action against negligent doctors in Kolkata
Kolkata medicos will face strict action if they do not adhere to guidelines outlining the proper treatment of dengue fever. A meeting between the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and personnel from government-run hospitals in the city emphasised the importance of following dengue treatment protocols devised in 2017. Atin Ghosh, Kolkata’s Deputy Mayor, pledged action against […]
Dengue: Soon to be a worldwide problem?
Experts predict dengue fever will threaten sixty percent of the world’s population, amounting to a predicted six billion people by 2080. This predicted increase can be largely attributed to two factors: urbanisation and global warming. In India, dengue fever is endemic across all 35 states and union territories. The disease has shown a gradual increase […]
As monsoon season looms, hospitals prepare for dengue cases
With the summer upon us, India’s monsoon season is looming and, with it, the prospect of outbreaks of mosquito-borne infectious diseases such as dengue fever. In preparation, the Union Health Ministry is calling on government-run hospitals to set up dedicated centres on their grounds for the treatment of dengue cases. “As rising temperatures and natural […]
Lessons from the dengue and H1N1 rise in Mumbai
The first quarter of 2019 saw an increased burden of dengue fever in Mumbai compared to last year, official figures show. Yet there may be other causes for concern when it comes to infectious diseases in the metro. India’s largest city and the state capital of Maharashtra reported 44 cases of dengue in the January-March […]
Disease profiles: What is dengue fever?
Dengue fever is one of several mosquito-borne diseases that become more prevalent around the time of India’s monsoon season. The World Health Organization (WHO) calls dengue the fastest growing mosquito-borne infection worldwide, outpacing even malaria. In India, the disease is endemic across all 35 states and union territories. Prevalence Dengue fever cases were originally recorded […]