Dengue has reached an explosive situation in the capital even before the monsoon has set in, with 750 cases reported in the district this year, till date.
The health authorities are concerned about the fact that unlike in the previous years, the mortality rate of dengue seems to be much higher this year, with 14 deaths — two confirmed and 12 suspected — being reported in the district in the past four months itself.
In the past eight days in May alone, the district has reported 127 suspected dengue cases, 69 confirmed cases, and two deaths, which are just indicative of the state of affairs to come as the rain has just started, officials say.
The actual figures could be much more alarming, as only a few major private hospitals are reporting the dengue cases and deaths .
Considering the gravity of the situation, District Collector K.N. Satheesh has decided to convene a meeting of the representatives of all private hospitals in the district soon.
The Collector has also decided to issue a directive to all department heads that source reduction and cleaning activities be taken up in the premises of all government offices from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday.
An inter-sectoral meeting called by Mr. Satheesh here on Wednesday to review pre-monsoon disease prevention charted out an action plan to be implemented in the district as part of the dengue fever control drive. The Collector himself will issue a directive to other government departments on the activities they have to take up to prevent the spread of dengue.
A list of hot spots in the district with a high density of Aedes mosquitoes has been identified. These include Pangappara, Kottukal, Karakulam, Mukkola, Vizhinjam, Thiruvallom, Vilappil, Kalliyoor, Balaramapuram, Pallichal, Kattakada, Kadakampally, and Chettivilakam, where control activities will be launched on a war footing.
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