Unhygienic conditions and poor sanitation facilities continue to pose a health hazard for around 20 police personnel who were newly deployed for security duty at the Sreepadmanabha Swami temple.
Several policemen in the earlier batch, who had fell sick in the unhygienic environment, had to be relieved of duty.
Chickenpox
One case of chickenpox was reported in the police camp at the temple on Tuesday, following which the District Medical Officer and senior health officials visited the temple as well as the living quarters provided to the policemen deputed for security duty.
Health team visits camp
Health officials who went around the temple and the living quarters of the police personnel said that the camp was too congested and unclean and that the toilet facilities — all the personnel were sharing a single toilet — were woefully inadequate.
“We found dirty, stagnant pools of water in and around the temple's ‘Oottupura', which were teeming with mosquito larvae. We identified almost all species of mosquitoes common here — Aedes aegypti and A. albopictus, which transmit dengue as well as other species such Culex — in these water collections, confirming that the source of dengue fever in the area and the police camp was inside the temple itself,” a health official said.
Three or more cases of dengue fever had been reported amongst the policemen a week ago and many of them had to leave for home.
He said that a lot of waste from the temple was piled up outside the Northern gate, attracting flies and rodents.
“The police personnel told us that if during the day they had to deal with huge swarms of flies, at night mosquitoes and the rodents took over. The temple officials said that waste was removed only once a week, because daily cleaning was too expensive and needed more people,”the official said.
Vector control
The Health Department officials are doing a thorough study in the areas within the Fort ward, including creating awareness amongst residents' associations on the need to keep the surrounding clean and free of water sources for the vectors to breed.
The Health Department is conducting a medical camp at Priyadarshini Hall at East Fort on Wednesday as a lot of fever cases, including dengue fever, was being reported from the areas.
Of the 124 cases of dengue fever reported during January, about 90 were from the urban areas, indicating that the City Corporation has not been doing enough to keep the urban wards free of mosquitoes.
At Sri Chitra Home
Health officials are also planning a visit to the Sri Chitra Home near the Amayizhanjan canal on Wednesday as some fever cases have been reported there too.
