A comprehensive surveillance is in place to prevent outbreak of dengue fever in Madurai district.
Keeping a strict vigil in urban and rural areas, the public health authorities here have been constantly monitoring the fever cases reported from both government and private hospitals.
This year, till the first week of March, only four confirmed dengue cases were reported in the entire Madurai district and the affected persons got treated.
Health officials say that the number of dengue fever cases has come down significantly and what is being reported now are only normal fever cases.
In 2010, the district had 219 dengue cases while there were only 41 confirmed dengue cases in 2011.
And this year so far only four cases have been reported.
“Dengue is prevalent only in Ramanathapuram and Sivakasi areas and some of the affected persons from these places got admitted to hospitals in Madurai. Otherwise, we are having no problem as of now and people need not panic. However, they have to take precaution with regard to storage of water at home because it can be a major breeding source for mosquitoes that cause dengue,” Latha Freeda Joan, District Malaria Officer, told The Hindu on Thursday.
She pointed out that all fever cases must not be construed as dengue. Entomological survey to check mosquito breeding is being carried out across the district jointly by public health department and the health wing of Madurai Corporation.
Some of the vulnerable areas for dengue fever are Sellur, Meenambalpuram and Tiruvadavur from where cases are usually reported. The District Malaria Officer has cautioned the public to be wary of water storage because people tend to store more water fearing summer scarcity and this leads to breeding of mosquitoes.
She said that most of the mosquitoes swarming around were only ‘nuisance mosquitoes' and they might not be dengue carriers.
“All private hospitals and nursing homes too are regularly reporting fever cases to us and we are visiting places where fever is reported. Children up to 15 years will be the most vulnerable group for dengue,” Ms. Joan added.
