Chandigarh, Sept 23: Punjab has recorded 451 dengue and 16 chikungunya cases so far this year, with health officials confirming zero dengue-related fatalities across the state. Reviewing the epidemiological data, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh affirmed that over 1,00,414 dengue samples have been tested till September 21, yielding a positivity rate of 0.45 per cent.
Districts including Ludhiana, Kapurthala, Faridkot, and Tarn Taran have reported higher caseloads, prompting local authorities to step up containment strategies. Dr Balbir Singh declared that the primary focus has shifted from mere case tracking to aggressively identifying and destroying mosquito larvae at breeding sites.
To ensure thorough execution, instructions were issued to Deputy Commissioners and health teams to conduct door-to-door inspections involving ASHA workers and nursing students. The minister maintained that financial incentives are being disbursed to ASHA workers for field duties, while district teams have been asked to hold regular Village Health, Sanitation and Nutrition Committee meetings. Health centers were further instructed to maintain essential stocks of ORS, IV fluids, and chlorine tablets while monitoring drinking water quality to prevent water-borne illnesses.
