2,039 Tested Positive for Dengue in Pune During Festive Season

Spread by the bite of female mosquito Aedes aegypti, dengue has infected as many as 2,039 people in Pune during the festive season between October 1 and October 27. Dengue mosquitoes breed in clean stagnant water and bite during early morning and in the evening before dusk.

The official records revealed with 2,039 people tested positive for dengue in October, the month has reported maximum number of cases so far this year, The Times of India reported.

Initial symptoms of dengue include high-grade fever and severe headache which is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, headache, rash, pain in joint and muscles, soaring of eyes among others.

According to the daily, doctors have observed that along with the usual symptoms, dengue patients in the city are suffering from fever for a longer time and their blood platelet count is taking more time to get to normal.

Talking about the dengue strains found in the city, the daily reported scientists at Pune-based National Institute of Virology (NIV) confirming that three types of dengue virus - DENV-1, DENV-2 and DENV-3 are at the moment circulating in Pune.

Though DENV-1 causes mild illness, DENV-2 and DENV-3 on the other hand result in more severe ailments.

Public Health Expert and head of the insect control department of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) Sanjeev Wavare told the daily that around Diwali, dengue cases start to decrease as the disease spreading mosquitoes cannot breed due to chill in the air. But this year, rains continued which replaced chill resulting in more cases of dengue.

The daily reported general physician Rajesh Gadia of KEM hospital saying that dengue was mild in most cases in Pune. He further said that most of the dengue patients had low platelet counts, it was however, manageable. Just a few of them witnessed critical problems.

Gadia further said that dengue cases were reported from all across the city. He added that most number of cases was reported from Hadapsar, BT Kawade road, Dhanakawadi, Bibvewadi, Sinhagad Road, Peth areas and Kothrud.

According to the report, experts said that dengue patients in rural areas of Pune were diagnosed with severe dengue infection this year.