MADURAI/TIRUNELVELI/CUMBUM: Ten more persons — eight in Cumbum and two children in Madurai — tested positive for dengue on Friday and are undergoing treatment in various government hospitals. In Cumbum, over a 100 people who had fever tested themselves for dengue on Friday.
Vijaya Rani, District Revenue Officer, Theni, and Dr Kanchana, Deputy Director of Health Services, visited Cumbum to oversee control measures. A 24-hour helpline has been set up. People can call 04554-271283 for all dengue-related queries, authorities said.
The two children who tested positive in Madurai are at the Government Rajaji Hospital. Dr A Edwin Joe, Dean, Madurai Medical College and GRH, said that 14 persons - 13 of them children from Madurai, Virudhunagar, Theni and Thoothukudi - were undergoing treatment at the hospital.
A special ward at the paediatrics department has been allotted for dengue cases, he said adding that all fever cases were given top priority and provided best treatment. V Subramanian, City health Officer, said around 200 employees have been carrying out precautionary measures in all four zones in Madurai. “They are applying abate on clean water, spraying larvaecides on stagnant water and doing source reduction activities by ensuring free flow of sewage,” said the officer.
Madurai Corporation workers were distributing guppy fish to the public door to door to be let into the over head tanks.
The fish fed on the mosquito larvae thereby reducing the chances for adult mosquitoes hatching.
Central Team in Nellai
Meanwhile, a six-member Central medical team visited dengue-affected areas in Tirunelveli district on Friday.
The district has had 25 deaths, mostly children, so far and had over 1,500 affected persons.
S Gandhiselvan, Union Minister of State for Health, who would be visiting Tirunelveli district on Saturday, said that the Centre would provide all possible help to Tamil Nadu in tackling outbreak of dengue.