The Guntur district administration launched a series of measures aimed at tackling the mosquito menace amidst a growing number of cases of dengue and vector-borne diseases.
Collector Vivek Yadav and MLA (Guntur West) Maddali Giridhara Rao released Gambusia fish into the Nallacheruvu pond as part of an anti-malaria drive. Guntur district has recorded 276 dengue cases this year.
With most parts of the district receiving intermittent rains over the last few weeks, seasonal diseases have reared their head again. Malaria, dengue, filaria, chikungunya and Japanese encephalitis are the most common vector-borne diseases which thrive in damp conditions prevalent during the monsoon.
Mr. Yadav, who convened a meeting under National Vector-Borne Diseases Control Programme (NVBDCP) here, asked the medical and health department and municipalities to coordinate and control the spread of seasonal diseases. He also observed that the seasonal diseases have been prevalent in municipalities and expressed concern over the high number of confirmed malaria and dengue cases in Guntur Municipal Corporation limits.
District Medical and Health Officer J. Yasmin said that remedial measures such as fogging and anti-larval operations were being carried out. Blood samples were being collected all over the district and suspected samples were being sent for Elisa test for diagnosis of dengue at the Department of Microbiology, Guntur Medical College.
“We recommend the standard Elisa test to give accurate results and not slide tests which are often done at private hospitals. It normally takes 48-72 hours for the test results to come out,” Dr. Yasmin said.
