Jammu, Nov 3 (PTI) With dengue cases in Jammu and Kashmir nearing the 1,000 mark, the authorities in Jammu region have scaled up efforts to check its spread, officials said on Wednesday.
A total of 993 cases of dengue have been reported in the Union Territory with Jammu (639 cases), Kathua (172) and Samba (87) districts in Jammu Division accounting for majority of the cases till Tuesday, the officials said.
“The office of the State Malariologist in Jammu has scaled up preventive activities such as vector-control activities (bio-larvicide fish, spraying and fogging) and information education and communication (IEC) and behaviour change communication (BCC) activities,” an official spokesman said.
On-the-spot visit was conducted to the areas having a high number of reported cases. Radio talks to increase awareness among the masses regarding preventive measures have been aired periodically by senior officers of the department, the spokesman said.
In collaboration with the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), he said, thermal fogging has been conducted to kill adult mosquitoes in Jammu urban areas.
Similar activities were carried out in Samba, Kathua and Udhampur districts, the spokesman said.
The spokesman said 10 sentinel surveillance hospitals with diagnostic facilities are functional to treat dengue patients.
“Keeping in view the upsurge of cases, 155 beds have been dedicated for dengue patients at Government Medical College (GMC) in Jammu and all district hospitals and new GMCs in Doda, Kathua and Rajouri, the spokesman said.