The district well being administration has determined to take up dengue and chikungunya prevention and management measures on a marketing campaign mode for the subsequent two weeks in Vattiyurkavu constituency, which has emerged as a hotbed of those vector-borne ailments within the previous two months.
A gathering of ward councillors, subject workers and Well being officers which was referred to as at Vattiyurkavu on Friday to debate the scenario, famous that vector indices of the Aedes species of mosquitoes was excessive within the locality and that even when instances had been spiralling up, folks remained blissfully unbothered about the truth that vector management needed to be a sustained family affair.
Senior Well being officers stated that Thiruvananthapuram was definitely dwelling as much as its doubtful distinction because the State’s dengue capital and that within the month of August alone, the district had reported over 700 instances of dengue (confirmed and possible ) and a few 25 instances of Chikungunya.
“This yr, until August 12, the district had reported 101 instances of Chikungunya and 54 of those instances had been from Vattiyurkavu space. Each dengue and chikungunya are being reported from throughout the district, however Vattiyurkavu has emerged because the hotspot the place each these ailments are rampant. It has been determined that sustained exercise on a marketing campaign mode be launched and that well being employees make house-to-house visits to make the residents conscious of the significance of supply discount,” the district surveillance officer, Ok.N. Satish, stated.
Well being officers identified that the examined and reported instances represent solely a small fraction of the whole caseload locally and that there have been a number of properties within the locality the place a couple of particular person had been unwell. There are 9 wards of town Company in Vattiyurkavu, lined by FHC Vattiyurkavu and the City PHC. Well being subject employees have reported that vector breeding was largely household-based, in small stagnant water swimming pools in flowerpot trays, biogas crops and within the plastic waste — discarded disposable meals containers are rising as a foremost receptacle for rain water — casually thrown out by households.
Apathy of residents
There are additionally many vacant small plots within the Vattiyurkavu space which have change into dumping grounds for waste, in addition to a number of homes which have remained locked up for over months, the place there could possibly be a number of vector-breeding sources. “Well being employees have pointed to the apathy of city residents, who, as an alternative of making certain that their properties aren’t the breeding floor for mosquitoes, anticipate well being employees to return each week and destroy the vector-breeding websites in and round their properties. Individuals should take duty for supply discount in their very own households,” a senior well being official stated.
Aedes species are container breeders and even a teaspoon of water in a discarded plastic container and even egg shell is sufficient for the mosquitos to put eggs. Therefore holding premises clear is a prerequisite to stop vector breeding. As vector management actions are being taken up on a marketing campaign mode, the Company will deploy a further staff of contingency employees — a minimum of one or two individuals per ward — to implement the management measures.
It has additionally been determined to hold out intensive fogging within the Vattiyurkavu space from Monday to kill grownup mosquitoes. This shall be adopted up with energetic vector surveillance and supply discount by well being employees. This cycle shall be repeated for two-three weeks. Well being officers stated that the Kerala Public Well being Act can be evoked if residents didn’t take supply discount actions severely and helped in holding vector indices down.
Revealed – August 15, 2026 07:04 pm IST
