Via The Times of India: Dengue fear sharper than sting. Excerpt:
LUDHIANA: The mayhem created by dengue in the city last year has forced residents to be extra cautious while fighting the disease now.
While the number of persons suffering from dengue has just crossed the 50 mark this year, the spread was far wider in 2011, when in one month alone 1,200 people were rushed to hospitals for transfusion of platelets after they tested positive for the disease.
Having learned lessons from last years shortage of blood units and aided by fewer cases this year, city hospitals claim they are ready with adequate measures. However, residents are finding it hard to fight the scare.
For instance, BRS Nagar resident Manjit Singh says recently when his relative was suspected of dengue, he made sure the platelets were available for meeting any eventuality even before the final test reports were in.
Allaying fears, Dr Sandeep Puri of Dayanand Medical College and Hospital said, "Dengue has not reached epidemic proportions this year and very few cases have been reported at our hospital. Last year, the number was huge. We have taken advanced measures and can carry out platelet transfusion on even 100 dengue patients in a day as we have seven separator machines. The hospital receives the maximum dengue cases in the city every year."
