THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A 35-member medical team from the Pangode military camp joined the health department officials on Sunday in fever containment and vector control activities in the Amboori belt.

About 430 patients attended a medical camp conducted at Amboori on Sunday by the army medical team. However, only about 36 reported with fever, out of which five cases were suspected to be chikungunya, health department officials said.

A total of 243 viral fever cases were reported from the district on Sunday, including 18 new cases of suspected chikungunya from Vellarada, Amboori and Perumkadavila. The total number of suspected cases so far in the district is 180.

Health officials said that Amboori was chosen for holding the medical camp as vector indices there were alarmingly high. While the department was trying to create awareness that source reduction activities would have to be intensified in the rubber plantations, there was little cooperation from the public. Health workers pointed out that it was practically difficult for them to do source reduction activities in the vast rubber plantations. The medical camp will continue on Monday also. The army team has also set up diagnostic services as well as arranged ambulance facility at the medical camp itself. They are also supplying mosquito nets to those coming to the medical camp. About two tonnes of medical supplies from the army depot in Mumbai arrived in Thiruvananthapuram airport on Sunday.

The army team has also started intense fogging in the Amboori belt. This activity will be done continuously for two or three days so that the adult mosquito population can be destroyed

Medical camps are being planned along with the army medical team at Kanyakulangara, Vellanad, Panavoor, Aruvikkara, Aanad and Karakulam in the coming days.

Health officials said that the field workers were carrying out awareness campaigns on source reduction. Four-member teams have been constituted in every ward and the teams will cover a specific number of houses every day to encourage people to keep environmental hygiene.

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