The number of dengue cases in the district has come down by 60 per cent and no fever deaths have been reported in June so far, said Health Minister V S Vijay on Monday.
Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa took stock of the situation in the district at a meeting at the Secretariat in Chennai on May 23 and instructed officials to carry out epidemic control measures on a war footing to eradicate mosquitoes that spread the dengue virus, Vijay said.
“I visited the district again on June 2 and convened a review meeting with officials. The number of cases has decreased by 60 per cent till date due to the efforts taken on a war footing,” he said.
A total of 36 people died due to dengue between January and May in the state and 29 were from Tirunelveli district. Kovilpatti reported a dengue death earlier this month, he asserted. He said necessary steps would be taken to eradicate mosquitoes in the ensuing monsoon.
The minister also warned of action against private hospitals that referred dengue cases to government hospitals at the final stages of the disease.