Uttar Pradesh: With the change in weather, the number of dengue cases is likely to increase further in the coming days.

Lucknow: With the change in weather conditions, dengue cases are on the rise in Uttar Pradesh for the last few days. As per data from the state government, 24 deaths have been reported so far in the state and the death toll would increase if the data from private hospitals is included.

In most of the cities, local hospitals have admitted many dengue patients and are witnessing new cases every day. It is scary to note that the number of dengue cases in the state has crossed 13,000 and Lucknow, Moradabad, Meerut, Kanpur and Noida are the hotspots in Uttar Pradesh. Over 600 new dengue cases have been found in the state in the last 24 hours.

With the change in weather, the number of dengue cases is likely to increase further in the coming days.

In the wake of these developments, State Health Minister Brajesh Pathak has given instructions to increase the number of beds in all hospitals. Moreover, private hospitals have also been asked to create separate wards for dengue patients.

More than half of dengue patients in hospitals are in need of dialysis and ventilator support in Lucknow. All beds in major hospitals are full of dengue patients and the footfall is increasing day after day in the state.

Apart from dengue, cases of viral fever, malaria and typhoid are also increasing in the state. In the last one week, over 1,080 fresh dengue cases have been reported in Lucknow, 1,024 in Moradabad and 923 in Kanpur. 17 dengue patients have been detected in Varanasi and seven in Gorakhpur.

However, UP Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak said the dengue cases are gradually declining. “Instructions have been given to provide beds and medicines to ensure awareness and cleanliness, mass participation is needed. The department is alert and every preparation for medicine, beds, platelets, and staffing has been ensured,” he told India Today.

To take stock of the situation, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath held a high-level meeting at his official residence on Wednesday and reviewed the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat scheme, the status of under-construction medical colleges and the efforts being made for the prevention of dengue and gave necessary directions.

In the meeting, the chief minister directed that additional beds should be arranged in hospitals as per requirement. “Be it a village or a city, not a single infected patient should suffer due to lack of treatment. There must be regular reporting of new patients in all government and private hospitals and medical colleges and it is necessary to make concrete efforts to control the situation of outbreaks in the districts,” he said.