More men in dengue grip than women in Patna

Patna: The prevalence of dengue in male population is higher than the female in the state capital, as around two-third of the dengue cases reported this season are male, a study has found.

According to the data provided by the district health office, of the total 2,696 dengue cases reported till October 14 in Patna municipal area, 1,763 (65.39%) were males, higher than females with 933 (34.6%) dengue cases.

The report further showed that dengue was found more in the age group of 11-30 years of age. Altogether 1,038 persons in the age bracket of 21-30 were affected with the vector-borne disease, which spreads rapidly during the rainy season at places of high humidity. Similarly, 792 dengue patients were in the age group of 11-20.

Patna civil surgeon Dr Kamal Kishore Roy said, "The data of dengue patients have been analysed to check which age group and gender is more susceptible to dengue fever and viral infection. The maximum number of cases was seen in the age group of 21-30 with 1,038 cases, 792 in age group of 11-20, 366 in 31-40, 220 in 41-50, 133 in 0-10, 101 in 51-60 and 46 patients above 60 years," he said.

"We have also analysed the dengue patients based on the areas. So far, residential colonies falling under Azimabad circle, are more prone to the dengue spread. As many as 993 people have been admitted with dengue symptoms this year. The main hotspot in this circle is from Mussallahpur Hatt to Gai Ghat area, and instruction has been given to the civic body to spray insecticides and conduct fumigation regularly to break the chain of dengue spread," Dr Roy said.

After Azimabad, 698 persons were found with dengue symptoms in Bankipur circle, closely followed by 359 cases in Kankarbagh circle, 171 in Patna City, 144 in Patliputra and 95 in New Capital circle, 152 in other blocks, while 84 patients' addresses were not clear.

Dr Mukul Kumar Singh, epidemiologist at NMCH-Patna, said so far 60 admitted patients in the hospital were in the age bracket of 20-35, while 25-30 kids in paediatric ward and only 2-3 cases are senior citizen. "Similarly, the young men are more susceptible because they move from one place to another, exposing them to different environments," he said.

Dr Kaushal Kishore, head of medicine department of PMCH, also voiced the same reason that the young men were getting dengue fever more because of their frequent movement from one place to another owing to their work while the old people were protected as they stay at home.