Chennai, Sept 11:
The Greater Chennai Corporation has intensified mosquito-control and fever-prevention measures across all 15 zones of the city following a rise in fever cases amid intermittent rainfall.
According to Corporation officials, more than 6,400 fever cases have been recorded in Chennai since August. Around 1,900 cases were reported during the last two days, including approximately 600 cases of dengue.
GCC Commissioner G S Sameeran has directed officials from the health and vector-control departments to step up field inspections and mosquito-eradication activities. More than 3,700 workers will participate in the citywide operation, including 2,076 workers assigned to door-to-door inspections, fogging and chemical spraying.
Domestic Breeding Checkers have been instructed to report for duty by 7 am every day and conduct inspections of houses and their surroundings. Teams will check overhead tanks, sumps, wells, cement tubs, unused containers, refrigerator drip trays, air-conditioner units and other locations where stagnant water could collect.
Public parks, commercial establishments, schools, hostels and construction sites will also be inspected for mosquito-breeding sources. Officials will record active fever cases identified during household visits.
Health Inspectors have been asked to monitor the work of the field teams and visit the homes of fever patients treated at government hospitals, GCC clinics and private healthcare facilities to identify possible mosquito-breeding sources near their residences.
The Corporation will also intensify fogging operations, conduct dengue-awareness programmes for students, organise special medical camps in areas reporting a high number of fever cases and monitor patients after discharge.
The GCC has appealed to residents to remove discarded tyres and coconut shells, empty containers that collect rainwater, keep water-storage vessels covered and regularly clean refrigerator drip trays and plant containers. Residents have also been asked to prevent stagnant water from accumulating in and around their homes.