Union Health Ministry organises 2-day technical symposium for Dengue control in India

Tags: National National News

Union Health Ministry on 22 March organised a two-day technical symposium to develop a strategic framework and roadmap for Dengue control in India.

An overview of the news 

• The objective of this symposium is to bring the identified Ministries, States, Government Institutions and development partners on a common platform to develop a strategic framework for dengue control.

• Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan stressed the importance of timely detection and reporting of dengue cases for effective management and control.

• He also suggested inclusion of dengue under the Integrated Health Information Platform of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, where 33 diseases are already covered.

What is Dengue?

• Commonly known as break bone fever, it is a flu-like illness caused by the dengue virus.

• It occurs when an Aedes mosquito carrying the virus bites a healthy person.

• The disease is mainly found in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world.

Causes of Dengue

• It is caused due to four viruses, namely - DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, and DENV-4.

• The virus enters the mosquito when it bites an already infected person.

• The disease is transmitted when it bites a healthy person, and the virus is spread through the person's bloodstream.

Symptoms of Dengue

• Headache, Muscle, bone and joint pain, Nausea, Vomiting, swollen glands, Rash.

Treatment

• There is no specific treatment for dengue.

• Early detection of severe dengue-associated illness and access to appropriate medical care reduce deaths from severe dengue.

• Diagnosis of dengue infection is done with a blood test.