Most of 2024’s dengue cases in Goa were detected in non-monsoon period

Panaji: A spike in dengue cases this year vis-à-vis 2023 was mostly contributed by dengue transmissions during a non-transmission season, an unprecedented trend. Goa recorded 561 cases from Jan to Nov as against 512 in 2023.

“But around 200 of these cases were reported before June itself, while in the past majority of the cases were detected during transmission season from June to Oct,” said Goa vector borne disease control programme in charge Dr Kalpana Mahatme.

The trend has led the directorate of health services to map the areas which saw an outbreak of dengue preceding monsoon.

While health workers are on guard during transmission season, they don’t let the guard down post Oct, as unseasonal rain contributed to dengue spread.

“We have been visiting areas which had dengue cases during the non-monsoon months, to educate people there to take precautions,” she said.

Areas of Guirim, Canca, Mapusa, Karaswada and Khorlim which reported a high incidence of dengue a few months before monsoon, were mostly inhabited by migrant population.

These areas, Mahatme said, also do not receive regular water supply, requiring the residents to store water, providing an ideal breeding space for dengue mosquitoes, when precautions are not taken.

The year also saw three dengue deaths. Two deaths of a child and a teenager, Mahatme said, could have been averted had they received treatment early.

“In both the cases, patients were brought to hospital when they had turned bad. Both had high fever, and were vomiting when they were admitted to hospital, indicating they were unwell at least, four to five days before hospitalisation,” she said.

“We tell the people that they should not wait to get tested when unwell and have fever,” said Mahatme.

The third casualty was that of an adult who had co-morbid conditions. The 60-year-old woman had more than one co-morbidity which made her treatment complicated.

Mahatme said community participation has also been crucial in dealing with challenges involved in controlling dengue.


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