Health Services personnel in the district have stepped up vigil and field work in vulnerable areas in the district in view of the surge in viral fever cases, including dengue fever, in the district this month.
According to Health Department officials here, 29,233 fever cases were reported this month till June 21, which far exceeded the number of fever cases in the previous months. The viral fever reported since January till June 21 included 1,07,707 cases of normal fever, 1,111 cases of suspected dengue fever, 222 confirmed dengue fever cases and 37 H1N1 cases, among others.
The officials said leptospirosis cases had marked a decline this year with 10 suspected cases and 3 confirmed cases reported during the period. Cases of malaria in the district remained normal with 40 cases, they added. “While the average number of fever cases reported in government hospitals here till the recent surge was 700 a day, it has now risen to 1,100 and more,” M.K. Shaj, Deputy District Medical Officer, said.
As many as 1,608 cases were reported on June 21, he said. Four of the five cases of death from probable dengue fever and two cases of deaths from confirmed H1N1 were patients with co-morbid conditions who were already taking medication for other diseases or disorders such as cardiac ailments, Dr. Shaj said adding that doctors were advised to ask such co-morbid patients with dengue to discontinue blood-thinning aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for pain relief.
Of the five dengue death cases, three have been reported in the primary health centre (PHC) at Vengad here. The Health Services personnel were keeping special vigil on fever cases of pregnant women as outbreak of H1N1 fever in the antenatal stage may create complication unless treatment starts without delay.
Household visits
“Our field staff visit households of pregnant women thrice every week as part of surveillance to report symptoms immediately,” Dr. Shaj said adding that anti-viral medication Oseltamivir for high-risk patients, including antenatal cases, was adequately made available in all government hospitals, including PHCs as also in Karunya Medical Shops. The Health Department here has already released ₹10,000 to each ward in the local bodies in the district for sanitation activities under the National Health Mission.
Each panchayat ward will additionally get ₹10,000 from the Kerala Suchitwa Mission and ₹5,000 from local bodies’ own funds for the sanitation works.
