Chennai, Sept 22:
The Greater Chennai Corporation has intensified its dengue prevention and mosquito-control drive across all 15 zones, with civic teams inspecting more than 11 lakh houses between September 14 and 19 and identifying and removing mosquito-breeding sources in 4,192 houses.
The Corporation has deployed 3,697 field workers for mosquito-control and dengue-prevention activities. Each worker visits around 80 to 100 houses a day to identify breeding spots, remove stagnant water and create awareness among residents.
GCC Commissioner G.S. Sameeran inspected fever-surveillance activities at Bharathiyar Street and Sundarar Street near Erukkancheri Main Road in Tondiarpet Zone on Monday.
The Corporation has ensured adequate stocks of medicines for fever treatment at 140 Urban Primary Health Centres, 16 Urban Community Health Centres and 200 Urban Health and Wellness Centres. Medical officers have also been trained in dengue prevention, fever surveillance and patient management.
As part of strengthened disease surveillance, the GCC is collecting information on fever cases from hospitals, clinics, laboratories, training centres, households and government health facilities. Patients discharged after fever treatment are being monitored for three days.
Mosquito-control measures include the use of Abate larvicide in water tanks and MLO oil in canals and stormwater drains. Fogging operations are also being carried out in streets and residential areas to control adult mosquitoes.
Civic officials are inspecting residential areas, vacant plots, construction sites, commercial establishments, educational institutions and hospitals for stagnant water and other potential breeding sources. Fines are being imposed on commercial establishments and building owners when mosquito-breeding sources are found.
The GCC has appealed to residents to cooperate with the dengue-prevention drive and ensure that water does not stagnate in and around their homes. Residents have been advised to regularly check water containers, flower pots, rooftops, discarded items and other places where stagnant water can collect.
The intensified campaign comes as Chennai steps up fever surveillance and mosquito control ahead of the Northeast Monsoon, with the focus on reducing breeding sources and preventing a rise in dengue cases.