Prayagraj: The month of Oct has witnessed a spike in dengue cases in city. A total of 78 dengue cases were reported to district health authorities between Oct 1 and 18, while the total number of dengue cases in the district crossed the 150 mark. Ironically, most cases were reported from posh residential localities, including Teliyarganj, Rajapur, Sulemsarai, Georgetown, Naini, Mundera, Shantipur, and Allahapure.
A survey of over 1 lakh houses revealed that about 26% of them contained larvae of Aedes mosquitoes , which carry the dengue-causing virus. Health officials claimed that while 87% of patients recovered, only 13% were undergoing treatment at hospitals and homes. Health officials attributed the highest number of dengue cases this season to incessant rains in the past one and a half month, the accumulation of rainwater in deserted areas, and the presence of larvae inside houses.
The health department took more than 30 hotspots under its scanner during peak season in district to address spread of dengue cases. "The graph of dengue cases will come down from the first week of Nov as its peak season will decline," said a senior health official, adding, "The city reported the maximum dengue cases in Oct." He claimed that house owners and landlords allowing water to stagnate in their surroundings and not bothering to drain it out were leading to the problem.
Locals, however, said that despite municipal authorities' claims of ensuring fumigation in residential areas, mosquito l.