MARGAO
Dengue has raised its ugly head in Goa's commercial capital, with the Margao Urban Health Centre confirming three suspected cases of dengue among police personnel attached to the South Goa district police headquarters in Margao.
Health officials said two of the suspected cases were detected in July, while the third was reported earlier this month. Following the confirmation of the cases, the Margao Urban Health Centre immediately launched preventive measures at the district police complex, including extensive fogging operations and anti-larval inspections within the police headquarters and its surrounding premises.
Margao police station in-charge PI Arun Desai said a PSI and a police constable have been affected by dengue.
Officials, however, clarified that the affected personnel are residents of different parts of South Goa, with one each hailing from Sanguem, Canacona and Morpilla villages. Of the three, only one policeman was residing in the police barracks at the district headquarters, making it difficult for health authorities to establish whether the infections originated within the police complex.
The health department's intervention came amid reports suggesting that as many as five dengue cases had been detected at the South Goa district police headquarters. However, Margao Urban Health Centre officials refuted those reports, stating that only three suspected cases have so far been officially reported to their centre.
"As of now, we have received information regarding three suspected dengue cases involving police personnel working at the South Goa district police headquarters. It is possible that the remaining reported cases, if any, have been registered at other health centres," a health official told The Goan.
Officials said the first suspected dengue case was detected over a month ago, prompting the health department to carry out an intensive surveillance and vector-control drive at the police headquarters. A second case surfaced towards the end of July, followed by the third in August.
"Each time a case was reported, our teams promptly undertook fogging operations, source reduction measures and inspections of the premises to eliminate mosquito breeding sites. These are precautionary steps aimed at preventing any further spread of the disease," the official said.
Health authorities maintained that it would be premature to identify the source of infection since the affected personnel belong to different villages and have varied daily movements. "At this stage, it is difficult to determine where exactly they contracted the infection. However, our teams responded immediately by undertaking the necessary preventive measures at the police headquarters”, sources said.
