With instances of mosquito-borne diseases like dengue, chikungunya and malaria already being reported from different parts of the city and the district, the Health Department officials have asked the public to take precautionary measures in view of the possibility of a rise in mosquito menace in the coming rainy season.
Pointing out that stagnant water is the breeding ground for mosquitoes that transmit these diseases, the Health Department officials have appealed to the public to ensure that water does not stagnate either inside their homes or in the vicinity of their homes.
“The next three to four months are crucial as it is the season when there is an increase in the spread of mosquito-borne diseases,” Mysuru District Vector-borne Diseases control programme officer Dr. S. Chidambara told The Hindu.
The Health Department personnel have been visiting homes and helping the residents identify stagnant water where mosquito larvae thrive before spreading the diseases through its bites.
“Water that stagnates in open cement tanks, drums, old tyres, coconut shells, and plates on which flower pots are kept provide an ideal setting for the breeding of Aedes type of mosquito, whose bites spread the diseases. Hence, the water should be thrown away,” he said.
Protective measures
Though the Health Department will carry out fogging in susceptible areas, it is only the adult mosquitoes that will be killed during such exercises and not the larvae.
“Hence, clearing stagnant water from one’s surroundings is important,” he said.
Dr. Chidambara has also sought the cooperation of the Mysuru City Corporation in its endeavour.
“People resort to storage of water only when there is no regular supply of water. Hence, the corporation should provide regular water supply. Also, the civic authorities concerned should not allow garbage to pile up. They should clear the garbage every day and should also ensure that drains are not blocked,” he said.
Vulnerable areas
Dr. Chidambara identified parts of Narasimharaja Assembly constituency, where slums are located, as vulnerable areas, where a coordinated effort is needed to protect the population from the threat of mosquito-borne diseases.
