Kolkata: There has been a spike in dengue cases, particularly in some south Kolkata neighbourhoods, over the last one week. According to a Kolkata Municipal Corporation health department official, the civic body has recorded 40 fresh cases in a week that began on July 14.
Some officials are considering the spurt significant compared to the first and second weeks of the month when KMC had registered less than 25 cases.However, according to a KMC official, the total number of dengue cases is less than the previous year. “We had registered 271 cases from Jan 1 to July 21, last year, whereas the number of dengue cases stood 184 this year till July 21,” said the official.
However, mayor Firhad Hakim on Saturday reminded the KMC officials that there was no room for complacency. “This year the number of dengue cases are still under control. But we need to remember that the monsoon has arrived late in Kolkata and the pattern of rainfall now is ideal for breeding of mosquitoes that are responsible for outbreak of dengue. We need to take guard and do whatever is necessary to check the spread of the disease,” said Hakim.
The rise in numbers has set the alarm bells ringing in the civic corridors. The KMC health officials have been asked to conduct special drives in the areas that have been witnessing a spurt in cases. According to a KMC source, the civic vector control team is keeping a special focus on areas or neighbourhoods in south Kolkata that are known as dengue-prone. “We have intensified our drive in Bhoowanipore, Alipore, Chetla, Kalighat, Ballygunge, Jodhpur Park, Golf Green, Behala, Jadavpur-Tollygunge,” said a senior official.