The Hindu : Three new malaria cases detected in Valiathura

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Feb 21, 2004

Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Three new malaria cases detected in Valiathura

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. Feb. 20. Even as the Department of Health stepped up its activities to check malaria in the city, three more persons from Valiathura area tested positive for the disease today.

While two cases were confirmed at the medical camp held at Valiathura, one person who went to the Medical College, tested positive for malaria.

With this, the number of reported malaria cases in the city, during February, has gone up to 21; in January there were 18 reported cases. Of these, 12 persons are still under treatment. According to the District Malaria Officer, the services of more doctors and lab technicians would be made available at the Government dispensary at Valiathura to enable it to function round the clock.

Officials of the Department of Health have commenced indoor residual spraying of houses in the Valiathura area. This is designed to kill adult mosquitoes. Intensive fogging would also be carried out in the area, with the help of the city Corporation. In addition to this, the chemical `Temephos' would be sprayed in thousand-odd wells in Valiathura. This is aimed at accelerating elimination of mosquito larvae in these water bodies. Beginning November 2003, Health officials had released Guppy fish in more than 1,000 wells in the Valiathura area. The Corporation has also decided to fund the covering of wells with nets, to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.

With the help of NGOs such as Kudumbashree, the Department of Health has set up squads to carry out a house-to-house malaria detection/treatment drive. On detecting a case of malaria, the squads administer what is called Directly Observed Treatment(DOT) using anti-malarial drugs. These squads are also engaged in activities to create awareness.

Meanwhile the Corporation has decided to intensify garbage-clearing activities in its Poonthura, Fort, Beach and Sreekanteswaram circles. The local body has also decided to supply gruel to those under treatment at the dispensary at Valiathura, the Health Officer, Jayalakshmi, said.

Though malaria has been endemic to Valiathura since 1996, no cases of the disease were reported during the years 2000 and 2001. In 2003, however, there were 62 cases of malaria, here, she added.

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