The detection of cases of dengue in some new areas of the state has become a cause of concern for the health authorities. Dengue, which is spread by the bite of aedes mosquitoes, was common in the national capital region of the state till recent years. However, this year several other districts of the state like Fatehabad, Sirsa, Bhiwani and Hisar have come under its grip. Tohana town in Fatehabad district has been the worst hit where as many as 87 cases of suspected dengue have been detected this year. The figure is of cases reported at government-run hospitals. The actual figure is believed to be much higher. Larvae of aedes mosquitoes have been found in water samples at many places in the town. More than 15 persons have so far died of fever in Tohana alone. The new trend has forced the health department to rethink its strategy with regard to vector-borne diseases. Dr A.P. Sodhi, deputy director (malaria), Haryana, confirmed that the detection of dengue cases in four districts of Haryana outside the NCR was a new trend and a cause of concern. However, he said, fogging was being conducted in the affected areas to check the outbreak of the disease. Meanwhile, the health authorities have declared seven districts in Haryana as high-risk areas for the outbreak of malaria. The districts are Bhiwani, Fatehabad, Hisar, Mewat, Sirsa, Kaithal and Yamunanagar. The health authorities, according to sources, follow the trends of the spread of malaria during this season and they declare a particular district as a high-risk area if the number of cases of malaria is much more than the corresponding figures of the last year. The health authorities have written to civil surgeons of these districts that their districts have been identified as high-risk areas for malaria. The authorities have sounded an alert in these districts and have decided to spray insecticide there. Dr Sodhi said work on fogging of affected areas was already in progress while spray of insecticide, which was a more effective process, would be started from September 1. The spray would be in focus areas and not throughout these districts, he added.