Chikungunya cases on rise in parts of south Belagavi

Belagavi: Chikungunya cases are on the rise in the southern parts of the city. According to sources in the health department, more than 14 patients were diagnosed with Chikungunya at Vadagaon primary health centre alone.
The cases are being reported mainly from Vadagaon, Khasbag, Shanti Nagar, Kalyan Nagar, Malaprabha Nagar, Bharat Nagar, Hamalwadi, Mangai Nagar, Sai Nagar, Sambhaji Nagar, Vaddar Chhavani, Devang Nagar, Rait Galli and Vishnu Galli and people of these areas are panicking.

The main reason behind the mosquito-borne disease spreading quickly in these areas is that there are lot of low-lying areas here where rainwater gets blocked, creating breeding grounds for mosquitos. Besides, dirty drains and filth saturated pits are adding to the worry.

Most of the said areas fall in Belagavi (South) constituency, which does not have proper basic infrastructure. Most of the residents here are members of the weaver community. Apart from the scare of the viral disease, people here are also facing a snake menace.

Sanjay Savvasheri, who represents Ward-11 in the Belagavi City Corporation (BCC) says, “At a time when people are already scared about Chikungunya, the corporation’s hospital has been closed and the primary health centre does not have the required facilities. The local administration must immediately look into the matter.”

According to residents, the poor and middle-class people of the areas depend on the primary health centre in Vadagaon, which is seeing heavy rush. There is a government proposal to upgrade the centre to a 100-bed hospital but nothing has materialised so far.

Speaking to STOI, district health officer Dr Appasab Naratti said, “I don’t know the exact number of patients who were diagnosed positive with chikungunya in the city so far. The health department already initiated larvae survey in the affected areas and if even a single positive case is diagnosed, the entire area will be announced as chikungunya positive and necessary precautionary measures will be taken.”

According to the officer, preventing the spread of the viral disease in the city is in the hands of the city corporation authorities. “They have to maintain cleanliness and supply drinking water regularly so that people do not store water in open containers. The Aedes mosquito, which spreads chikungunya, lays its eggs in pure water. The eggs hatch within seven days and it is vital to destroy them before that,” added Dr Naratti.

Dr Shashidhar Nadagouda, health officer in BCC, said city corporation personnel are already engaged in creating awareness about viral diseases among people, fogging and sprinkling of pesticides to kill mosquitoes. Care is being taken that every patient gets good facility and treatment in the hospital, he added.