Punjab: Though only one case of dengue has been reported this year as against 219 last year, the health department and the municipal corporation (MC) are fully geared up to ensure that the disease does not spread. The MC is continuing fogging in residential areas and health department teams are visiting shops and houses to check for dengue larvae. Challans are also being issued to those found negligent. The only case of dengue so far has been reported in Model Town. Sources said a bank employee posted in Bath is the only patient and he visits his home once a week. He came to Abohar yesterday and had fever. When he was tested, dengue was confirmed.
MC sanitation inspectors Jaswinder Singh and Kartar Singh said fogging is being carried out in the city by their team. They said about 100 challans have been issued so far for negligence, with fines ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 2,000. Civil Hospital nodal officer Dharamvir Arora and program coordinator Tahal Singh said that in the last two months, their team has issued 150 challans during inspection of houses, shops and establishments, out of which 100 people have been fined. He said that in the last few days, the health department has taken samples of 89 people with dengue-like symptoms, while a total of eight samples were taken today. He said that the teams are giving information to the people about the symptoms of dengue and appealing them to come to the hospital if they notice anything wrong with their body. The dengue ward of the hospital, which caters to the needs of Abohar and Balluana, is still lying vacant.
