Panaji, Oct 8 (IANS): Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Monday said that he had urged Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to set up an inter-departmental committee to tackle dengue cases in Goa, even as 217 confirmed cases of dengue have been reported throughout the state in 2019.

"The Health Services department is working hard to tackle the dengue disease, but there are other departments which also need to be involved, including local elected bodies, which also have to take up the responsibility," Rane said.

Rane also said that the proposed inter-department committee would be headed by the state Chief Secretary and would comprise of heads of departments, including Health Services, Urban Development, Panchayats, among others.

Rane also said that while there were 1,613 cases of suspected dengue and 272 confirmed cases in 2018, 1,468 suspect cases had been reported in 2019, of which 217 are confirmed cases of dengue.

He also said that of the four persons who had died after being diagnosed with dengue, the patients in three instances had suffered other complications along with dengue.

"There has bee only one clear case of a dengue-related death so far," Rane said.