Re: India Dengue 2012
Dengue like an epidemic in some areas, concedes Kolkata mayor
TNN | Sep 4, 2012, 03.54AM IST
KOLKATA: Dengue outbreak has taken the proportion of an epidemic over the last couple of weeks, but the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is yet to put an extra effort to prevent it from spreading. Sources in the KMC told TOI that the civic body had to "compromise" with dengue awareness campaign this year for want of funds.
However, the KMC has finally woken up and went on a damage-control drive, with mayor Sovan Chatterjee, who even a week ago dismissed the gravity of dengue outbreak by saying it was a "routine" phenomenon, on Monday admitting that the situation was grave and it can take the proportion of an epidemic in some areas of the city. The civic body has now set up a dozen of makeshift dengue clinics, started distributing leaflets and also assigned autos to spread awareness on the disease.
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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...ncedes-Kolkata-mayor/articleshow/16243848.cms
New vector adding sting to dengue spread in Kolkata
Prithvijit Mitra, TNN | Sep 4, 2012, 04.10AM IST
KOLKATA: The rapid transmission of the dengue virus has led experts to believe that a new vector is stalking the city, especially in Salt lake, the fringe areas of the city and along the EM Bypass where hundreds have been infected, along with the primary carrier Aedes aegypti.
Aedes albopictus or the Asian tiger mosquito is a secondary vector of the dengue virus and as lethal as the aedis egypti.
Entomologists say the pattern in which dengue is spreading from the south-eastern parts of the city indicate that the secondary vector has become active.
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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...ue-spread-in-Kolkata/articleshow/16243993.cms
Dengue: Minister advises Kolkatans not to panic
TNN | Sep 4, 2012, 03.52AM IST
KOLKATA: State urban development minister Firhad Hakim said on Monday that certain political quarters were spreading panic on dengue. "There is no need to panic. Many people are rushing to hospitals and nursing homes only to be told that they have typhoid, viral fever or some other ailment," Hakim said. "The reality is not what those in the opposition are making it appear."
The minister said that dengue usually strikes after a span of two to three years and this appeared to be one of those years. "Moreover, people too need to be aware. If they don't clean their terrace where water accumulates in water pots or discarded cans, what can the civic bodies do about it?" the minister asked. He attributed the spread of dengue also to irregular rainfall. "Had there been fresh rainfall regularly, the accumulated water would have been washed away," he added.
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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...lkatans-not-to-panic/articleshow/16243822.cms
KMC to publish white paper on dengue
Sep 04, 2012 | Age Correspondent
Facing flak for its ham-handed handling of dengue outbreak, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is publishing a white paper on Tuesday.
Claiming that vested interests were spreading misinformation about the number of cases of the vector-borne disease and the number of deaths due to it, member mayor-in council (MMiC), health, Atin Ghosh said that the white paper was aimed at setting the record straight.
According to the statement released by the state health department, in Kolkata, 405 cases have been tested positive for dengue fever and 1,252 people are suspected to have it. Their blood samples have been sent for testing. The Bengal statistics shows that there are total 660 positive patients and 1,856 people suspected to be affected by it.
However, unofficial sources claimed that one more person died on Monday, taking the death toll in the city to 18. Till Sunday, 17 people had died in the city and 21 people in the state, unofficial sources claimed.
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http://dc.asianage.com/kolkata/kmc-publish-white-paper-dengue-144