Madhya Pradesh forms team to probe spread of dengue

Bhopal, Oct 9 (IANS) Alarmed over the spread of mosquito-borne dengue fever in the state, the Madhya Pradesh government has set up a committee to investigate why the disease was spreading so fast, Health Minister Anoop Mishra said Friday. “An investigating committee has been constituted which will work under the supervision of Dr. Sharad Tiwari, dean of Sagar Medical College, and after investigations, give the recommendations to control the dreaded disease,” he said.

Dengue is fast spreading in Madhya Pradesh and has claimed at least nine lives in the past three months, officials said. Director (Health) Ashok Sharma said: “Nine people have died from dengue in Madhya Pradesh in the past three months, while 129 others - of which 57 are in the state capital - are affected by the disease.”

“As many as 57 dengue patients have been identified in the state capital, followed by 33 in Indore, 17 in Balaghat and 12 in other districts. Three people died of dengue in Bhopal and Indore each. One each succumbed in Ashoknagar, Satna and Balaghat,” Sharma told IANS.

Sharma said that necessary steps had been taken to control dengue and the district medical officers had been directed to remain in contact with private hospitals and send information about those affected.