L-G reviews dengue preparedness

Efforts being taken on all fronts, says Tamilisai Soundararajan

The administration is closely monitoring the incidence of dengue, which has historically seen a spike in the September-October period coinciding with the onset of the north-east monsoon, Lt. Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan said on Wednesday.

The Lt. Governor, who reviewed the dengue preparedness at the Rajiv Gandhi Government Women and Child Hospital (RGGWCH), told media that though there were six beds exclusively dedicated for dengue cases, the institution had the capacity to add more beds if required. As far as children were concerned, dengue posed a far greater threat than COVID-19, and one of the measures of preparedness in managing the mosquito-borne disease was to be ready for transfusion of blood and components as some patients could face a rapid plunge in platelet count.

However, there was no need for the public to panic as all efforts were being made on the treatment, monitoring and prevention fronts, the Lt. Governor said.