Children fall prey to dengue as cases spike across India: Report

Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, and several districts of Haryana and Maharashtra are witnessing a spike in the number of dengue cases in children

As the country witnessed a fall in Covid cases, several states have reported a rise in dengue cases and viral fever-related deaths in children in recent weeks.

Uttar Pradesh’s Firozabad is the worst affected by the deadly dengue infection and seasonal flu. Viral fever and dengue fever have killed as many as 45 children between the age group of six months to 17 years until Friday, according to a report by News18. A team of experts sent by the Centre has found the D2 strain of dengue in the Agra division, which is responsible for haemorrhage in patients.

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As UP suffers one of the worst outbreaks of dengue in years, families with children are seen outside hospitals crying for help and waiting for treatment. “His belly is swollen. Hospital officials say they are unable to admit more people and have advised us to take our child to Agra,” a 10-year-old’s aunt is quoted as saying in the report.

Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, and several districts of Haryana and Maharashtra are also witnessing a spike in dengue cases and viral fever-related deaths in children.

So far 3,000 cases of dengue have been reported in Madhya Pradesh, and 1,400 cases were reported in the last two weeks alone, according to a report by the Hindustan Times. On Friday, 22 people were detected with dengue and among them five were children.

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In Haryana’s Palwal district, several cases of fever and dengue have been reported among children. In Chilli village, six children died in the past fortnight who had fever with pneumonitis, loose motion and fever with stiffness of body. However, authorities ruled out dengue and Covid-19 infection being the reason behind these deaths.

"Medicines are being provided and an Out Patient Department (OPD) is being run. Spraying is being done. We have taken samples of 80 people who are having a fever. No malaria cases have been reported. Four to five children have died due to dengue and several children are ill,” Dr Vijay Kumar, Senior Medical Officer, Hathin, told Mint.

As of Friday, Delhi recorded 158 cases of dengue and 34 cases were recorded in the second week of September alone. Dengue has spread across several districts of Maharashtra as well. This year 305 cases are reported in Mumbai alone, including 85 in September.

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The situation in West Bengal seems to have gotten worse as the state saw 1,200 children being affected with fever and respiratory illness in the past five days. At least two have died in north Bengal. “It is the normal seasonal influenza which happens during this time of the year. The government set-up is fully geared up to deal with the situation. Experts are visiting the hospitals and protocols are being reviewed. There is no need for any panic,” NS Nigam, the state's health secretary, told the Hindustan Times.

Cases of fever and respiratory tract illness are seen to be spreading in Bihar too. In the month of September, 14 children died in Patna due to respiratory pneumonia.

As of now, there is no vaccine available for dengue in India. The treatment of dengue is symptom specific as there is no particular medicine available for it.

(With inputs from agency)

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