AIIMS Rishikesh doctors say that it is very important to protect children from dengue and Covid-19
The experts have warned that the outbreak of vector borne disease, dengue, during the ongoing pandemic period of Covid-19 can be very dangerous. With the onset of the rainy season dengue has made an arrival in Uttarakhand. The experts of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Rishikesh point out that both dengue and Covid-19 have similar symptoms. They are of the view that since the schools are open in the state, it is very important to protect children from both these deadly diseases.
The director of AIIMS- Rishikesh, Ravikant said, “ Covid is not over yet, so make sure to use a mask and maintain a required physical distance between each other. Dengue is a seasonal disease caused by the bite of a female Aedes mosquito. In this disease the platelets count decreases and the immunity of the patient becomes very weak. The young children, patients with diabetes, asthma and heart disease are at the highest risk of dengue infection.’’
The Associate Professor Department of Community and Family Medicine and Nodal Officer of Outreach Cell AIIMS- Rishikesh, Dr Santosh Kumar said one should consult a doctor in case of high fever. He said that the Aedes mosquito mostly breeds in stagnant clean water. When a mosquito bites, the dengue virus spreads rapidly through the bloodstream to a person’s body. Dr Santosh said that there are four strains of dengue virus. “If a person already infected with one of the strains becomes infected with the third or even fourth strain of the virus, then the patient becomes infected with hemorrhagic fever, ‘he said.
