Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Fever cases on the rise in coastal areas

Staff Reporter

Overcrowding and poor hygiene responsible

Thiruvananthapuram: Viral fever has been spreading in the coastal areas of the district for the past two weeks. Though initially concentrated in the Vizhinjam area, a large number of fever cases are now being reported from Pozhiyoor, Poovar, Adimalathura, Pulluvila and Kochuthura.

Overcrowding and poor hygiene are responsible for the spread of the disease along the coast, doctors said.

Nearly 200 patients turned up at the out-patient (OP) clinic of the Vizhinjam community health centre (CHC) on Wednesday, while new in-patients numbered 34. In Pozhiyoor, 81 cases of fever were reported at the OP clinic. Doctors at the Poovar CHC said the 20-bed ward was overcrowded with 45 patients, of whom 30 were being treated for fever.

The district health administration said 30 fever clinics had been started in the district and reports were being monitored.

Fever cases seem to be concentrated in the rural and coastal areas. Patients are reporting at hospitals with high fever and severe joint pain (myalgia). Doctors are routinely testing for dengue fever. However, no cases have been reported from the coastal area so far.

Blood samples had been collected from Vizhinjam earlier and sent to the National Institute of Virology at Pune to check for chikungunya viral fever. However, the results are not yet in.

Meanwhile, a community mobilisation programme to prevent vector-borne diseases is being successfully undertaken in Poovar. The thrust is on source reduction so that the mosquito population can be checked. Disease prevention is possible by observing a `dry day' every week, when all water storage containers should be emptied, cleaned and filled afresh, while all possible sources of vector breeding such as flower pots, plastic cups, and old tyres should be eliminated. Kudumbasree units have been making house-to-house visits to educate people about source reduction.

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