Hyderabad Records Significant Spike in Dengue Cases This July

 Hyderabad: Dengue cases have seen a massive surge in July, with over 1,300 cases being reported in July alone.

As per the data shared by director of public health Ravindra Nayak, the state recorded 1,345 cases from July 1 to July 28, 2024. The number was 728 in the same period in 2023. The National Sector for Vector Borne Disease Control (NCVBDC) website shows around 1074 cases from January to June this year.

In Hyderabad district, 206 cases were recorded in July compared to just 60 in June, shared Hyderabad DMHO Dr J. Venkati.

Doctors are also seeing around 3-4 cases each daily. The demand for platelets has also increased. Bunty Mundada, an activist running the blood donation non-profit Being Human-Ek Umeed, reported receiving 70 requests for platelets for dengue cases in July. Shravan Pintoo, founder of NGO Hyderabad Blood Donors, said he received around 40-50 requests in July.

The GHMC, meanwhile, shared that 626 cases were reported in its limits in July, indicating that most of the state’s cases are within GHMC limits. The GHMC recently announced efforts to prevent vector-borne diseases, noting that there were 786 cases in July 2023.

Doctors are advising citizens to take precautions against vector-borne and monsoon-related illnesses. “The most common symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, rashes, and mild bleeding such as nose or gum bleeding,” said Dr Avash Pani, Consultant Paediatrician at Apollo Cradle and Children’s Hospital, Kondapur. He has seen around 20 cases of dengue in July. “Monitor your child’s symptoms and seek medical help if they worsen. Warning signs of severe dengue include abdominal pain, vomiting, rapid breathing, bleeding gums, and fatigue. Severe dengue may require hospitalisation for intravenous fluids, blood transfusions, and close monitoring by healthcare providers,” he said.

Government health officials have been instructed to conduct door-to-door surveys and document cases of dengue and related illnesses daily.