27/10/2018
The public health department (CHENNAI) has identified high risk zones across TamilNadu. Mostly areas where aedes mosquitoes were collected and tested to prevent an outbreak of the vector-borne disease. which wreaked havoc last year. The first place on the high risk zone are hospitals, especially the one that treat dengue patients.
“When a female aedes draws blood from patients with dengue, they too may become carriers of the virus. Such mosquitoes spread the disease and all eggs they lay will carry the virus. It is passed on to generations of mosquitoes and if they aren’t monitored, we may have a huge army of infected mosquitoes,” said director of public health Dr K Kolandaiswamy.
Sanitary inspectors ( civic and local bodies) have been collecting mosquitoes from hospitals that have dengue cases and are also visiting residential areas with people affected by dengue.
The state health department has been notifying, messaging and emailing to doctors’ bodies/groups to inform them about the government’s monsoon preparedness plans. These plans include special training for doctors on early detection and management of dengue cases. The number of cases doctors have been seeing so far in 2018 is lesser than that in 2017.
Paediatricians point out “Most affected children are treated as outpatients and not many who are admitted go into critical care,” said Kanchi Kamakoti Childs Trust Hospital medical director Dr S Balasubramanian.
Sanitary inspectors are also visiting police stations, government offices, scrap market areas, where junk vehicles have been piling up over the years, as they can be the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes.
The state has been advertising in theatres,TV channels and are also sending out IEC material to encourage people to keep their surroundings free of mosquitoes.
TOI - Chennai
Department of Health and Family Welfare TamilNadu
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