We were happy to learn last week that the intensity of dengue infection was slowing down with less number of patients reporting to various hospitals in the month of September. The citizens thought dengue was gone at least for this season. But, since Friday, we are getting alarming news once again that incidence of new infections are being reported by the media.
Dengue is one of the life-threatening diseases that are spread by a type of mosquito (vector-borne). We had a wide-spread infection incidence this year which has already taken over 200 lives. According to experts, vector-borne diseases are human illnesses caused by parasites, viruses and bacteria that are transmitted by mosquitoes, sandflies, triatomine bugs, blackflies, ticks, tsetse flies, mites, snails and lice. Every year there are more than 700 000 deaths from diseases such as malaria, dengue, schistosomiasis, human African trypanosomiasis, leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis and onchocerciasis, globally.
We hope the relevant
authorities like the ministry
of health and director general of health
services are well aware of this and
taking all measures to keep
dengue infection under control
Experts further say that the major vector-borne diseases, together, account for around 17% of all infectious diseases. The burden of these diseases is highest in tropical and subtropical areas and they disproportionately affect the poorest populations. Since 2014, major outbreaks of dengue, malaria, chikungunya yellow fever and Zika have afflicted populations, claimed lives and overwhelmed health systems in many countries.
It is being said that distribution of vector-borne diseases is determined by complex demographic, environmental and social factors. Global travel and trade, unplanned urbanization and environmental challenges such as climate change can impact on pathogen transmission, making transmission season longer or more intense or causing diseases to emerge in countries where they were previously unknown.
We hope the relevant authorities like the ministry of health and director general of health services are well aware of this and taking all measures to keep dengue infection under control. No doubt, besides city corporations, people in general will have to take the lead in keeping their premises clean. City corporation people cannot visit house to house therefore citizens will have to play a pro-active role in controlling all kinds of vector-borne diseases.