Patna: Patna district is reeling from dengue and chikungunya, with over 1,000 confirmed cases of the diseases being reported, which experts said points to lacuna in fighting the mosquito menace.

Of the 1,191 dengue cases reported in the state till Saturday, Patna district accounts for 731 cases confirmed through both rapid diagnostic test and Elisa test.

The total number of chikungunya cases in the district till Saturday stood at 399 against 464 across Bihar.

In number of dengue cases, Patna is followed by Nalanda (40 cases), Gaya (32), Vaishali (22), Bhagalpur (21) and Nawada (20). In chikunganya, Vaishali (11 cases) and Nalanda (10 cases) follow Patna.

"The situation is alarming because we also cross-verified the dengue-positive reports of private diagnostic labs, which are listed as suspected dengue cases, and have found 95 cases positive," said Ragini Mishra, epidemiologist at State Health Society. "The private diagnostic labs conduct rapid diagnostic test to confirm the disease while the civil surgeon office only considers results of Elisa test authentic," Ragini added. "Now that it has been revealed that many cases have been found positive whose disease status had been confirmed by private labs, efforts should be taken to conduct fogging properly in the state capital. Increase in the cases shows authorities have not taken proper measures."

An official at the civil surgeon office admitted under cover of anonymity that fogging was primarily being conducted at places where (Elisa-confirmed cases have been reported. Ragini, however, pointed out that as per the notification issued by State Health Society, fogging should also be conducted at places where rapid diagnostic test has confirmed dengue cases.

"We are also getting cases of other viral infections in which also the platelet count in the blood is dropping," said Dr V.P. Sinha of Patna Medical College and Hospital. "The platelet count drops in any viral infection.

"People need not panic," Sinha added. "In case of fever and other symptoms related with dengue and chikungunya, consult doctors. Taking paracetamol is advisable but don't take any combination drug such as Combiflam. Aspirin is also not advisable for fever."