Chennai: While the State Health Department is taking measures to control the widespread of dengue, Tamilnadu Health Secretary Beela Rajesh today stated that three people have succumbed to the mosquito-borne fever so far and added that 3,200 cases of dengue has been registered in Tamilnadu.
After inspecting the fever wards of Thiruvallur Government Hospital, she held a meeting to review the control measures taken to contain the spread with Collector and other officials.
However, going by the reports, five deaths, suspected of the disease, just in Thiruvallur district has ocurred. Commenting on the burden of the fever, she said, ”The burden is heavy in Thiruvallur as it is bordering with the neighbouring states and people from there come here for treatment. In the last 10 months, 266 cases have been brought to the notice and in the recent past 23 patients are affected with dengue.”
The Health Secretary reassured that the fever wards are being monitored. ”We have oriented the private hospitals and practitioners on dengue treatment protocol and pharmacies are instructed not to prive over-the-counter medicines to fever cases,” Beela Rajesh added.
She mentioned that a video-conferencing was held yesterday with other district secretaries under the guidance of Tamilnadu Chief Secretary to control the disease.
On Tuesday, the State government told the Madras High Court that there has been 38,609 incidences of the fever and 96 deaths since 2015, of which 63 mortality cases were reported in 2017.
During the hearing, the officials claimed that the department is taking measures to detect the fever at the earliest and that 28,147 domestic breeding checkers (one for every 250 houses) have been appointed to kill the adult Aedes mosquito. The first priority is given to the districts that have registered more cases.
Two children, Nandhini (5) from Mathur village and Monisha (9) from Thandalam in Thiruvallur district died of suspected dengue on Tuesday.
Hospitals have been stocked with enough medicines, while health officers have been asked to closely watch the situation and take necessary steps.
On Monday, a 21-year-old woman near Tiruttani succumbed to fever after treatment failed to cure her. Her relatives said she was suffering from dengue.
Health Minister Vijayabaskar had stated that the northeast monsoon will be a challenge for the department to bring down the dengue count yesterday after inspecting Thoothukudi Government Hospital.
With rains lashing several parts of the State, Health Department officials suggest residents to discard unwanted items from home and store the freshwater carefully to prevent the breeding of Aedes mosquitoes.