: Dengue-hit Rajapalayam is on the road to recovery as the crucial Vector Index (VI), which determines the disease outbreak threat, was on the decline on Tuesday.
While undertaking an intensive fever control operation across the 42-ward municipality, the Public Health and Municipal Administration Departments have stepped up activity to destroy mosquito breeding sources.
A report prepared by the Directorate of Public Health has shown that mosquito breeding, which was at its peak in the last four days of December, has started declining.
Collector V. Rajaram and Regional Director of Municipal Administration Seeni Ajmal Khan told The Hindu that the decline of vector density was a positive signal since the spread of virus and fever incidence would come down in a gradual manner. As on Tuesday, 25 patients are undergoing treatment in the district for dengue, of whom 10 are in-patients in Rajapalayam.
As per the VI survey on December 28, the house index was 11.7 per cent; container index 5.3 per cent and Breteau index (number of positive containers for Aedes mosquito for 100 homes) was 18.7 per cent. In the subsequent two days, the mosquito density peaked resulting in deaths and spread of the virus across Rajapalayam.
As per the report released on Tuesday, the house index fell to 8.7 per cent; container index to 2.4 per cent and Breteau index to 14.1 per cent.
The density showed a substantial decline by January 12 when the house index was 4.22 per cent, container index 0.94 per cent and Breteau index 5.64 per cent.
Director of Medical Services A. Chandranathan, along with Rajapalayam MLA K. Gopalsamy, inspected the Government Maternity Hospital to take stock of the fever incidence and preventive measures.
“On Monday, 20 patients were discharged from hospitals. Sixteen dengue-trained paediatricians have come from the Institute of Child Health and entomologists are doing door-to-door inspection to remove mosquito breeding sources. The municipality has intensified garbage removal and solid waste management,” the MLA said.
The authorities have declared 11 wards as “high-risk” in which dengue prevention activities will be continued on a war footing till month-end.
Senior officials from across the State are camping in Virudhunagar district to bring the situation under control.
