2 weeks Ago By Shariq Majeed
Ludhiana: With 23 malaria cases reported in Ludhiana this year — nearly matching the total of 24 documented for all of last year — the city’s health department has intensified efforts to manage vector-borne diseases. Most of the cases are concentrated in urban areas, with a smaller count from rural blocks such as Payal and Sahnewal. Epidemiologists attribute a significant portion of the cases to patients with recent travel history.
The health department has been conducting larval surveillance, neighbourhood fumigations, and public awareness campaigns to mitigate the risk. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) advises residents to reduce stagnant water, use mosquito nets, and wear protective clothing to prevent further cases as winter approaches. The latest report from the health department suggests 17 of the malaria cases to be from urban areas, within Ludhiana city primarily, while six cases to be from rural regions.
Notably, two cases each originated from the Payal and Sahnewal blocks, with none reported from eight other rural blocks. The emergence of malaria from Chawni Mohalla, Model Town, and Shastri Nagar have prompted the health department to monitor these localities as the region approaches winter, which sees a decline in mosquito populations, typically. However, officials warn the public that more cases could still arise before the colder weather sets in.
District epidemiologist Dr Sheetal Narang noted that 15 of the 23 reported malaria patients had travelled within a month prior to their diagnosis. She emphasised that there have been no clusters of cases in any specific area of the district. The health department uses the same staff for the surveillance of both dengue’s fever and malaria, and even for the response.
These teams conducting thorough inspections and spraying insecticides in 50-odd surrounding homes whenever a case is reported. Dr Narang has requested residents to guard against mosquito bites until winter's onset. Punjab IMA president Dr Sunil Katyal has advised residents to eliminate standing water where mosquitoes breed and recommended using mosquito nets and repellents.
He also stressed the importance of wearing long-sleeved clothing and maintaining a nutritious diet to bolster immunity. As the health department ramps up its response to these diseases, experts continue to advocate for community awareness and proactive measures to prevent outbreaks in Ludhiana. We also published the following articles recently 9 more dengue cases reported in city Prayagraj, also known as Sangam City, saw a rise in dengue cases with nine new patients reported, bringing the total count to 273.
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