Telangana among most-affected dengue-hit states, says WHO

HYDERABAD: In what could be worrying the health authorities, Telangana has been categorised among the most-affected states in India in the incidence of dengue, the World Health Organisation said in a document.
In the latest document, WHO said that all four serotypes of dengue virus have been seen in Telangana along with other states. Telangana, which had recorded over 8,000 dengue cases last year, has already reported over 600 cases of dengue till mid May, many of which are repeat infections.
The WHO document said: “All the four serotypes (DENV1, DENV2, DENV3 and DENV4) of dengue have been observed.”
Critical care expert Dr Kiran Madhala said a person can get infected by four different serotypes with subsequent infection being more severe. “Also, people can be infected with two different serotypes at the same time adding to the severity. Therefore, all serotypes being prevalent is a cause of concern,” he said.
The document further said case management of dengue has improved in recent years but India continues to face several challenges. “Aedes vector surveillance covers both larval and adult stages. However, numerous natural aedes breeding habitats and cryptic indoor breeding sites remain a challenge,” WHO said. This has especially been seen in patients who spend more of their time indoors too getting infected.
Also, lack of an early warning signal based on meteorological data and lack of proactive measures for vector control apart from incomplete or delayed reporting from private health facilities are gaps in dengue control, the document said.