The public health apparatus in Kozhikode district is battling a clutch of other infectious diseases even while struggling to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Health Department, 37 suspected dengue fever cases and a death were reported in the district this month, along with leptospirosis, Hepatitis ‘A’ , ‘B’ and ‘C’, and shigella infection.
District Medical Officer V. Jayasree has urged the people to observe May 16, Sunday, as ‘source eradication’ day to drive home the message of destruction of the sources of dengue fever. It is to mark National Dengue Fever Day. Dr. Jayasree said that the outbreak of other infectious diseases at the time of a pandemic would lead to increase in deaths. Health Department officials called for steps to identify places where stagnated water was found and reduce the possibility of breeding of mosquitoes.
Department sources said that 13 of the dengue fever cases were reported from Maniyoor alone.
Two persons were infected with leptospirosis. There were two suspected and two confirmed cases of shigella infection. A suspected case of Hepatitis A was reported this month. The dengue fever death was reported from Kuttiyadi in April. Two deaths due to Hepatitis B were reported from the Kozhikode Corporation limits in February. A Hepatitis C death was reported from Koduvally in January. One leptospirosis death each was reported from Kuruvattur and Keezhariyur in February and April, respectively. A shigella death was confirmed in Meladi in March.
Maniyoor and Ayanchery had deaths due to suspected encephalitis with rabies. A death due to acute diarrhoea with dehydration was reported in Perumanna in February. Meladi, Puthuppady, Keezhariyur, and Thiruvallur had four leptospirosis deaths in February, March and April. A death due to suspected scrub typhus was reported in Cheruvannur in April.
