Dengue has claimed 179 lives across the country this year while no death has been reported due to chikungunya, though it affected 21,000 people, By Rajya Sabha. “During 2016 (till November 13), a total number of 179 deaths due to dengue and no death due to chikungunya has been reported in the country.
“The number of positive cases for dengue and chikungunya in the country during 2016 (till November 13) are 90,277 and 21,094 respectively,” By Health Minister J P Nadda, in a written reply.
The reason behind the steep increase in the number of cases are– water storage practices, poor solid waste management, construction activities, large migratory population, inadequate vector management and lack of protective immunity in the affected population.
“Dengue claimed 33 lives in Uttar Pradesh, 28 in West Bengal and 22 in Maharashtra”.
Dengue and chikungunya diagnosis is provided through 542 Sentinel Surveillance Hospitals (SSHs) and 15 Apex Referral laboratories (ARLs) identified across the country.
“First version draft of ‘Strategy and Plan of action for Effective Community Participation for Prevention and Control of Dengue’ has been uploaded. A user-friendly App ‘India Fights Dengue’ has been launched while National Dengue Day has been observed on May 16, 2016 throughout the country”