The Hindu : Front Page : Fresh alert for dengue fever

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 04, 2006
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Fresh alert for dengue fever

Shastry V. Mallady

Directorate of Public Health to review situation in 10 districts

MADURAI: Even as the State is battling with cases of chikungunya, the Directorate of Public Health (DPH) has issued a fresh alert for dengue fever following the outbreak of the disease in northern parts of the country.

As both the diseases — Chikungunya and dengue — share common factors and are caused by the same mosquito, the Directorate of Public Health is holding a review meeting at Tuticorin on Wednesday to take stock of the situation in 10 southern districts, including Madurai.

Surveillance

The Joint Director of Public Health, S. Elango, said on Tuesday that the State Government had put the health machinery on alert and asked the district health authorities to step up surveillance.

"We have given instructions to the health staff to investigate all fever cases and evaluate its intensity. If there is any suspicion, the cases should be reported to the DPH immediately," the Joint Director said. The Health Secretary, V.K. Subburaj, and the Director of Public Health, P. Padmanabhan, would monitor the progress of `Operation Chikungunya' project that was taken up last month in all districts to reduce the intensity of the fever.

Vector control measures

According to Dr. Elango, the Health Department is able to curtail the transmission as an integrated vector control measures are implemented.

He called for the cooperation of people in removing water stagnation and preventing `man-made diseases' like malaria, dengue and Chikungunya.

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