Amid a spurt in dengue cases in Jammu region, the Health department is likely to constitute a committee headed by State Malariologist Dr Belu Sharma to monitor the situation.
The vector-borne disease has already consumed two precious lives, including a woman in the province.
The recent death of a woman belonging to Udhampur district took place due to dengue and co-morbidity, an official said.
“The higher authorities are directed to constitute a committee for effective monitoring of the situation arising due to dengue cases. It will be headed by State Malariologist Dr Belu Sharma,” said a senior official in the Health department quoting directions from the higher-ups.
The committee is likely to be set-up soon, the official said.
“So far, the Jammu division has recorded 279 dengue cases, Director Health Services,” Dr Renu Sharma told
“Of these 279 cases, 187 cases are from Jammu district’s densely populated urban areas like Rajeev Nagar slums, Rehari, Sarwal, Bhagwati Nagar, old Jammu city and other areas,” Dr Sharma said.
Quoting a report on dengue cases in Jammu, she said, “Fifteen children below 15-years of age and 108 women are also infected with dengue.”
Despite the increase in dengue cases, Dr Sharma said that the situation was not alarming.
“After every two or three years, an upsurge takes place in the dengue cases but they decline after November 10,” she said.
“We are monitoring the dengue cases on a daily basis in all 10 districts of Jammu division. A particular area of Kathua district along the Punjab state has reported some dengue cases, but we have taken all appropriate steps in that area,” Dr Sharma said.
She confirmed that they were directed to constitute a cell to be headed by a State Malariologist though the situation was already being monitored by the Health department.
Meanwhile, Principal GMC Jammu, DrShashi Sudan chaired a meeting with the Head of the Departments of Paediatrics, Microbiology, Medicine, Pathology, Biochemistry, Blood Bank GMC Jammu, Medical Superintendent, GMC and SMGS hospitals and officer in-charge of Emergency, GMC&H Jammu to review the preparedness in GMC and its associated hospitals for the management of outbreak of dengue cases.
An official said that 38 dengue-infected patients were admitted at GMC&H, Jammu.
“The hospital has also decided to increase its bed-capacity to 64,” he said.
As per the official statistics, presently there are 17 cases in Samba, 30 in Kathua, five each in Udhampur and Rajouri, four in Reasi, and one each in Poonch, Doda and Ramban district.