KOCHI: In a disturbing trend with worrying portends for the monsoon season, dengue cases are on the rise in the state, with six deaths reported in Ernakulam district alone this month. The vector-borne disease caused by aedes aegypti mosquitoes can spread easily during the monsoon, said doctors, adding that numbers can spike with increased rainfall.
According to data with the directorate of health services, 398 confirmed and 1,148 suspected dengue cases were reported in the state in the first eight days of June. Ernakulam, with its large floating population, reported 133 confirmed cases, or one-third of the total.
Additionally, 316 suspected dengue cases have been reported in the district. The situation is quite alarming in Kollam as well, with 103 confirmed cases till June 8.
According to the district health department, six deaths have been reported in Ernakulam so far this month.
There are plenty of fever cases reported every day, and ordinary and dengue fever can be identified only through tests, said Dr Sreenivasa Kamath, president of IMA Cochin. “Once the symptoms show up, it is better to test at least within five days.
As there are no vaccines or symptomatic treatment, the only option is to prevent the spread,” he said. Dr Sreenivasa said that 50-60% of people are consulting doctors for fever. “It is that time of the year when not just dengue, but other viral diseases are common. Everyone should be careful,” he added.
When asked about the reason for the high number of cases in Ernakulam, Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, member of the public health advisory panel, Kerala state IMA, said the waste in the streets is becoming a breeding ground for mosquitoes in the city.
Dengue: Call for strengthening preventive steps
“Ernakulam has a large migrant population. Moreover, for the last three months, waste has been accumulating in many places. This increases the chance of mosquito breeding. It is easier for the mosquitoes to grow in such unclean conditions,” he said.
Dr Rajeev added that fogging alone will not kill the mosquitoes. “The waste should also be removed. Only preventive action at multiple levels over an extended period can prevent the spread,” he said.
Ernakulam district collector N S K Umesh on Monday called for strengthening preventive activities in the districts in the wake of the rising number of dengue cases. A meeting chaired by him decided to monitor the wards with the most dengue cases, and to start fogging to destroy the source of mosquitoes.