Intermittent rains could lead to a surge in dengue

It is important to keep the vector population under check through source reduction and ensuring that there is no rain water stagnation.

Intermittent summer showers, followed by hot spells, can lead to a spurt in dengue cases, the Health department has warned.

Not just dengue, other vector-borne diseases like Chikungunya, malaria, filariasis and Zika can all spread if the mosquito population goes up. Hence, it is important to keep the vector population under check through source reduction and ensuring that there is no rain water stagnation around houses or water collections inside houses, Health officials said.

It is thus time to intensify pre-monsoon cleaning activities so that there are no possibilities of rain water collection in receptacles or drains.

Apart from keeping the premises clean, people should also take precautions to prevent mosquito bites through protective clothing or by using insect repellants, the department said.