Alert sounded against dengue in seven districts

The Health department has sounded a special alert against dengue in seven districts where cases have begun to show a rising trend.

These seven districts—Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Palakkad, Kozhikode and Malappuram—have been asked to form special action plans for dengue prevention and control.

Local self governments have been asked to take the lead role in identifying dengue hotspots in the district, identify the gaps in organising control measures, and to chart out specific plan of action at the ward-level as to how the control measures can be improved. The activities should be monitored on a monthly basis.

All districts have been asked to take up vector control measures, primarily source reduction, on a priority. Intermittent rains are likely to lead to intensified vector breeding and hence a rise in cases should be expected in all districts, against which public awareness measures also have to be strengthened.

The review meeting called by the Health Minister directed that the situation in all districts be monitored strictly. Ward-level sanitation fund should be effectively utilised to organising control measures. “Dry day” observance should be followed every week, when all sources of water stagnation around homes and in institutions should be identified and cleaned out.

Vector control units in districts should be asked to intensify their activities, especially in areas considered to be “high-risk” and weekly reports should be generated.

The Health department has asked the public to be on the alert against fevers lasting over two days and to do sufficient investigations to distinguish the fever type.

Individual responsibility and collective action alone can check vector breeding and prevent dengue transmission . Water stagnation around homes in artificial receptacles like flower pots or refrigerator drip trays should be prevented as these are the usual vector breeding sources. Other possible sources of water stagnation should be identified and eliminated.

Kochi Mayor M. Anilkumar and senior Health officials participated in the review meeting.