Dengue 'serious', but no epidemic: Govt

With dengue spreading to 18 states, claiming 47 lives and afflicting 3,331 people, the government today declared the situation as "serious" but stopped short of terming it an "epidemic".

"The situation is serious. But it is not out of hand. All major hospitals are equipped to handle the rush of patients. There are enough beds, medical supplies, blood and platelet," Union Health Secretary P K Hota said here.

"Difficult time is still on. In the past seven days the number of dengue cases have gone up. We cannot show any complacency. We have to be alert till the first week of November. But it is not an epidemic," he said.

Briefing the media after a meeting with cabinet secretary B K Chaturvedi, who reviewed the dengue situation in the country, he said people have to act as "health constable", a terminology, he quoted to the cabinet secretary.

The meeting was also attended by medical experts and heads of major Delhi hospital.

"In a civilsied society invading a house to check mosquito breeding doesn't look nice. People have to act as health constable and stop using water cooler," he said, adding the government and people should work together to check the spread.

"The government has also set up control rooms and we are issuing a list of 30 hospital where free dengue treatment would be provided, Hota said.

He cautioned people not to use brufen or asprin tablets as it tends to excraberate bleeding, and also added that only five percent of people, who are afflicted with dengue, need blood transfusion and for them they have adequate supply.