With 74 new dengue cases being reported on Wednesday, the total number of cases crossed the 1,500 mark to stand at 1,512.
The strike by almost half of the MCD's domestic breeding checkers meanwhile continued for the fourth day with no breakthrough in the impasse despite an ultimatum from the civic body that the services of those who do not return to work by Thursday would be terminated. The DBCs are demanding regularisation of jobs.
Admitting to mosquito breeding at the Commonwealth Games village site being a “problem”, MCD Medical Relief and Public Health Committee chairman Dr V. K. Monga said the civic body has asked the Army to step in to aid in anti-breeding measures at the site.
Dr. Monga said: “The site is surrounded by the Yamuna on three sides and there is a huge water trench. Various agencies are finding it difficult to keep it free of stagnant water especially with the heavy rains. To drain out this trench, fill it up with soil and carry out other anti-larval measures we have sought Army's help. Whatever fogging and spraying we are carrying out is being rendered ineffective due to the rains,” he added.
“Moreover as the water in the Yamuna recedes, the MCD is also working on filling up the pits to avoid rainwater stagnation in them. Since only five to six days are left for the players and visitors to arrive all options would be used to check breeding,” he added.
He further informed that the process of spraying the chemical -- synthetic pyrethroid -- on the walls of all rooms of the Games Village as well as other 21 sports or training venues in the city had already started and if found successful its use would be extended to other areas as well.
Dr. Monga admitted to the shortage of beds in city's hospitals to treat dengue patients but assured that several hospitals had set aside a few beds for them, if the need be. He also informed that with the number of dengue cases going up in the city, health employees of the MCD's Public Health Department have volunteered to create public awareness about prevention and control of dengue.
“The health workers under the aegis of the Health Employees' Welfare Union will involve National Social Service workers of the schools and colleges in creating public awareness especially during their holidays from October 1 to October 17. They will organise public awareness rallies and meetings with residents' welfare associations, social welfare organisations, schools of the Delhi Government and the MCD as well as private organisations on weekends and on weekday evening after office hours,” he added.
Meanwhile, former Delhi Mayor and BJP councillor Arti Mehra urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to constitute a “Special Dengue Control Task Force”.
