CHENNAI: Following the aftermath of Cyclone Michaung, over 13,000 cases of lower respiratory tract infections have been reported in special medical camps conducted by the health department in Chennai, Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts on Saturday.
According to the health department’s data on December 9, medical teams screened 86,894 people in health unit districts in Chennai, Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur, Poonamallee and Kancheepuram. Of these, 13,840 people were diagnosed with lower respiratory tract infection (LRI), 944 with fever, 483 with injury and 290 with acute diarrheal disease (ADD).
Speaking to TNIE, Dr T S Selvavinayagam, director of public health and preventive medicine said, “There is no need to panic as these are the expected frequency of cases. Most of these people were managed in the camps.” In Chennai, the health department conducted 51,158 medical camps during the same period. Of these, 10,042 people were diagnosed with LRI, 236 people with ADD, 308 with injury and 567 with fever. Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts reported 1,046 and 1,773 cases of LRI respectively.
Mobile Medical Units (MMU) conducted 518 camps and Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) teams conducted 643 camps. Dr P Paranthaman, head of general medicine at Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital said that after the floods, there could be a potential outbreak of water, food and vector-borne diseases such as typhoid, vomiting, acute diarrheal disease, leptospirosis (rat fever), dengue, chikungunya and others due to contaminated water, food and stagnation of rainwater mixed with sewage.
People have been advised to drink safe water, preferably boiled water, avoid food from outside and wash hands frequently. People have also been directed to wash their feet thoroughly after walking in water mixed with sewage as it might cause leptospirosis and fungal infections.
Dr S Chandrasekar, head of the department of medicine at Stanley Medical College and Hospital said, “We are seeing viral fever cases in out-patient units. Post floods, there has been no alarming increase in the number of cases. This could also be because of the special medical camps conducted by the health department.”
On December 6, Health Minister Ma Subramanian flagged off 300 MMUs in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Chengalpattu districts. On Sunday, the minister inaugurated special medical camps at seven private hospitals in Chennai.
STAY SAFE