BHOPAL: Cleanest city Indore along with Bhopal and Jabalpur, ranked seventh and 17th in Swachh Survekshan-2021 in 10 to 20 lakh population category, are among the seven districts of the state that are worst-affected by dengue. Among other dengue affected districts are Ratlam and Mandsaur, ranked 31st and 50th in below 10 lakh population category of the survey conducted by Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHU).
Despite all the laurels, dengue cases are on the rise in these districts and the state. After first Covid wave, 809 dengue cases were reported in 2020. After the second wave, 2,200 dengue cases have been reported in the state so far. National Vector borne control programme officer Dr Himanshu Jaiswal said, “Seven districts Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Ratlam, Mandsaur, Agar-Malwa and Chhindwara are worst affected. However, dengue has engulfed the entire state.” Rise in dengue cases have not only exposed rankings but also the claims of Urban administration department regarding sanitation. Rise in dengue cases are attributed to poor sanitation. The state continues to reel under inadequate sanitary conditions and health facilities despite the rise in dengue. Garbage continues to pile up, mosquitoes breeding in stagnant water and overflowing drains remain a common sight in absence of proper sanitary arrangements.
The second corona wave was bigger. However, malaria department which had last time attributed low dengue cases to use of sanitizers, has attributed rise in dengue cases to stagnant water accumulated in man-made containers (e.g. truck tyres, pots, non-biodegradable plastic containers).
According to malaria department, Aedes mosquito thrives in urban environment, breeds in stagnant water that often accumulates in discarded man-made containers e.g. truck tyres, pots and non-biodegradable plastic containers. Aedes mosquito bites humans during daytime and breeds in relatively clean water stored for drinking or washing purposes and in rainwater that collects in various containers such as tyres, bottles, tanks, plastic bottles, etc. Malaria officer(Bhopal) Dr Akhilesh Dubey said, “People are using cooler as fan at this time. Prolonged storage of water in coolers is dangerous. Uncovered water tanks are also breeding ground for dengue mosquitoes. So people as well as agencies concerned should notice all these things in urban areas to control dengue.”
