Suspected dengue infection rises in Pune municipal limits during break in rainfall

PUNE: A long dry spell after the first monsoon showers has pushed up the number of suspected dengue cases in the Pune municipal limits. Since June, 81 suspected cases of dengue have been reported in the civic areas as against the total 126 confirmed cases this year so far.
The Pune city saw its first monsoon rain on June 10. Within two hours of the rainfall, the city witnessed more than 30 tree-fall incidents and waterlogging at multiple locations. The waterlogging provides the perfect spot for mosquito breeding, leading to a rise in dengue cases.
From June 1 to 21, the city reported about 81 suspected cases of dengue as compared to just 58 cases in the previous month. The Pune city has not reported a single confirmed case of dengue in June. Only those samples testing positive for dengue through the ELISA test are considered as confirmed.
Dr Sanjeev Wavare, assistant health officer, said, "There has been a spike in the number of dengue cases after the first spell of rainfall due to water stagnation. If there are continuous showers, there might not be a spike in the numbers. We will report a similar spike post-October once the rains have receded."
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has issued notices to about 451 people or organizations wherein mosquito-breeding spots were found through the year and Rs 17,000 was collected in penalties from them.