PANJIM: Two suspected dengue deaths and spurt in the dreaded disease in many parts of the State has caused panic among the people.

There are reports that dengue deaths have been reported in Calangute and Cuncolim even as officials of Directorate of Health Services said that they could be suspected cases.

Directorate of Health Services national vector borne disease control health officer Dr Kalpana Mahatme on Wednesday said that the suspected dengue cases have been reported in Candolim, Santa Cruz, Taleigao, Vaddem and New Vaddem in Vasco, Cortalim, Zuarinagar and in Margao areas where it is scattered.

Dr Mahatme said that two week back, there was a surge in suspected dengue cases reported in the Primary Health Centre at Candolim. But now the trend is decreasing. Also suspected dengue cases have been reported from the areas of Borda, Gogol and Chandrawado in Fatorda.

Dr Mahatme said that 30 suspected dengue cases were reported in July this year as compared to 47 cases reported in July last year. Similarly from January to June this year, 100 cases were reported as compared to 147 cases reported during the corresponding months of last year thereby showing that dengue cases are on a decline.

According to Dr Mahatme, one of the reasons for suspected dengue cases is due to people storing water in barrels, buckets and drums outside their homes and leaving them uncovered. These barrels and drums act as breeding grounds for mosquitoes. The residents are storing water in barrels and buckets due to irregular water supply, she said appealing to people to take adequate precautions and keep their barrels and buckets properly covered with as malaria and dengue are caused by mosquito breeding in clean water.

Dr Mahatma said besides conducting public awareness programmes, the department has been taking effective measures and has been spraying the areas to combat the dengue.

The common symptoms of dengue virus are high body temperature, severe headache, feeling unwell, pain behind the eyes, joint and muscle ache, appetite loss, nausea and vomiting. In severe cases dengue can be fatal.

Suspected dengue death in Candolim; locals claim not enough done to prevent disease

CALANGUTE: The death of a local woman due to dengue at the Goa Medical College (GMC), Bambolim recently led to alarm bells ringing in Candolim on Wednesday with Calangute MLA Michael Lobo, Candolim sarpanch Blaize Fernandes and panchayat members rushing to the Candolim Primary Health Centre (PHC) claiming

that not enough is being done to prevent vector borne diseases.

The MLA and panchayat members have asked for more preventive measures. “Dengue cases are on the rise in Candolim, Calangute and also Nerul. I feel that the village panchayats should be involved in taking preventive measures because the PHC does not have the staff to cover all areas. People should check their surroundings for stagnant water and empty any containers, broken buckets, tyres, coconut shells etc,” Lobo said.

“A lot of resorts are closed during the monsoon and their swimming pools are breeding grounds for mosquitoes because they have not put any medicine in the water. They have locked their resorts and guesthouses and gone home. They should drain the water from the swimming pools,” Lobo said.

When contacted, Directorate of Health Services Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Kalpana Mahatme said that the death of a woman was a suspected dengue case and that she has asked for case papers from the GMC Hospital. She said that the patient who was treated in a private hospital was referred to the GMC, Bambolim after her condition deteriorated on Sunday night and the patient expired the next day.

“It could be a suspected dengue case and I have asked for case papers from the GMC to find out the exact cause of death,” said Dr Mahatme.