As several fever deaths were reported over the past few days in the State, the government kicked off dengue prevention activities on Thursday to mark Anti-Dengue Day.
So far, 10,392 cases of dengue and 75 fever deaths, of which 27 were related to dengue, were reported in Tamil Nadu, said Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan.
While the western and southern districts have been grappling with mosquito-control measures for the past few months, the Chennai Corporation, in a house-to-house surveillance drive by 922 nurses, found 1,084 fever cases in its area from 24,701 households.
After identifying mosquito-breeding sources in damaged vehicles dumped along many of the 471 bus routes and 36,000 streets, civic officials are in the process of removing unused vehicles along the roads.
According to data compiled by State health officials, the number of dengue cases in Chennai is more than 700 this year, but the Corporation pegs the number at only 200.
Schools in the State have been asked to conduct awareness programmes once a week and the authorities are informing the students about the severity during the morning assembly sessions.
Cleaning operations
The government that began to prosecute institutions and households refusing to clean up premises has now taken up cleaning operations in various departments, establishments and educational institutions. Medical colleges in the city held a number of activities to create awareness about the Aedes mosquito-transmitted disease. As many as 13 schools were identified in the vicinity of the Government Medical College, Omandurar and Government Kasturba Gandhi Hospital, and professors from the college educated the students about dengue prevention, a senior doctor at the hospital said. Schools were also cleaned of potential breeding sources. College premises were cleaned by students and workers, and fogging was done. Nilavembu kudineer was distributed to workers.
In Tiruchi, street plays, mass cleaning drives in public buildings, awareness rallies and distribution of nilavembu kudineer marked the day. The Tiruchi city Corporation organised a street play at the Central Bus Stand to create awareness. Heads of government buildings had been asked to destroy mosquito breeding sources and submit their action taken reports to the Collector within a day, said I. Ravindran, Deputy Director, Health Services.
Awareness programmes and cleaning drives were conducted across the central region including Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Karur, Ariyalur, Pudukottai and Perambalur districts during the day.
In Tirunelveli, the Corporation in association with the District Legal Services Authority organised anti-dengue awareness camps at the district court complex, during which a cleanliness drive was carried out.
Awareness ambassadors
In an awareness campaign in Theni district, Collector N. Venkatachalam, speaking to school students, appealed to them to act as ambassadors in creating awareness on dengue.
A. Sivagnanam, Virudhunagar Collector, said that cleanliness drives would be organised in all government offices and schools every Thursday.
In Madurai, a cleanliness drive was organised in a majority of schools. Personnel from the Health and Family Welfare department were sent in teams to different schools for creating awareness and to distribute nilavembu kudineer.
