Mamata urges people suffering from fever not to delay dengue testing

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday urged people suffering from fever not to delay dengue testing and start treatment immediately if results return positive.Without naming anyone, she claimed that the dengue situation in the state was not as bad as depicted by some people and hoped that it would further improve.I urge those with fever not to sit at home but undergo test.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday urged people suffering from fever not to delay dengue testing and start treatment immediately if results return positive.

Without naming anyone, she claimed that the dengue situation in the state was not as bad as depicted by ''some people'' and hoped that it would further improve.

''I urge those with fever not to sit at home but undergo test. Do not delay it. This will help in treating the disease. There are not many dengue cases in the state at present. The situation will definitely improve,'' Banerjee said at an administrative meeting here.

She advised people to follow necessary precautionary measures to combat the mosquito-borne disease.

''There are people who are spreading wrong information. I urge people to keep their surroundings clean and take measures to prevent water accumulation. Everyone has the responsibility to help control the disease,'' she said. Banerjee said that awareness on dengue should be spread from the ongoing 'Duare Sarkar' (government at your doorsteps) camps.

When enquired by the chief minister, state Health Secretary N S Nigam, who was present at the meeting, said that the ''overall positive rate of dengue in West Bengal is going down''.

''Those infected are being monitored,'' Nigam added.

Meanwhile, a 14-year-old girl suffering from dengue died at a state-run hospital in the Kolkata. She hailed from Garfa area in the city.

Director of Health Services (DHS) Dr Siddhartha Niyogi said that 723 people have tested positive for dengue of the 5,362 people who took the test in the last 24 hours.

''The number of cases has reduced as compared to last week,'' he added.