West Bengal dengue cases cross 4,500 as over 500 new cases reported in last 7 days

West Bengal has recorded more than 500 new dengue cases in the past seven days taking the total number of reported infections in the state this year to over 4500 according to statistics from the state Health DepartmentA Health Department official said the rise in reported cases followed an intensified surveillance exercise across the state after a standard operating procedure for monitoring and preventing dengue was issued on September 2As part of the exercise health workers conducted doortodoor surveillance and arranged immediate blood tests for people showing symptoms associated with dengue the official saidMore than 500 cases detected in one weekThe official said the expanded surveillance resulted in more than 500 new dengue cases being identified across West Bengal during the past seven daysWith these cases the states cumulative number of dengue infections during the current calendar year particularly during the ongoing monsoon season has crossed 4500The figures indicate a steady increase in reported infections since the beginning of the monsoon Health authorities have been tracking the spread of the mosquitoborne disease through districtlevel surveillance and testingMurshidabad remains worstaffected districtMurshidabad has reported the highest number of cases both in the latest sevenday period and in the overall tally for the year according to Health Department dataOf the more than 500 cases reported over the past seven days 96 were recorded in Murshidabad alone The district has reported 870 cases out of the states cumulative total of more than 4500 cases this yearKolkata has recorded the secondhighest number of cases with 402 infections reported during the current calendar year The city recorded 62 new cases during the latest sevenday periodThe districtwise figures highlight the continued concentration of dengue cases in several parts of the state as health authorities step up surveillance and testing during the monsoonDengue cases rise steadily since AprilThe Health Department also provided figures showing the progressive increase in reported dengue infections since AprilAccording to the department 770 people had tested positive for dengue in West Bengal as of April 30 The figure rose to 1946 by July 31 and then increased sharply to 3966 by August 31The total has since crossed 4500 with more than 500 additional cases detected in the seven days following the latest surveillance exerciseThe increase has coincided with the monsoon a period when mosquitoborne diseases typically require closer monitoring because stagnant water can create breeding grounds for mosquitoesHealth Department says current figures are verifiedA Health Department official said the reported figures this year were based on confirmed dengue cases and claimed that cases were not being classified under other descriptionsHowever the good thing is that whatever the figures that have surfaced this year are 100 per cent authentic without any question of underquoting the affected figure or describing dengue as unknown fever a phenomenon which was rampant during the last few years The instructions from Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari for the medical institutions are very clear If the case is dengue it should be reported as dengue and not as any unknown fever So the figure this year so far is 100 per cent authentic the Health Department official saidThe officials comments came amid the departments efforts to improve reporting and ensure that suspected cases are tested and classified appropriatelyGovernment urges people not to panicEarlier this year the chief minister had appealed to residents not to panic over the dengue situation amid continued heavy rainfall in the stateHe had acknowledged that the situation required attention but said it was not highly alarming He also said the number of dengue cases recorded in West Bengal during the current monsoon while high remained significantly lower than the corresponding figure reported during the monsoon season last yearWith inputs from IANS