Hassan
75 % of the cases reported from Kollur, Muduru, and Jadkal
The Department of Health and Family Welfare in Udupi has constituted 13 teams, including health officers, for taking up measures to prevent the spread of Dengue in the hot spot areas of Kollur, Muduru, and Jadkal, according to Prashanth Bhat, Udupi District Vector Borne Disease Control Officer.
Of over 160 dengue cases reported in Udupi district since this January, 120 cases (75%) were found in the three places and their adjoining areas. The cases shot up from March.
The department has opened a 60-bed special ward in Kundapur taluk hospital to treat dengue patients. Of the beds 25 beds each have been reserved for men and women and 10 beds have been allocated to children.
The teams, comprising doctors, nurses and Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), have been visiting the houses especially in Muduru and Jadkal, from where more cases have been reported, and are clearing the breeding spots of mosquito causing dengue.
Awareness is being created among people on source reduction. Mosquito nets are also being distributed to them. In addition, each house is being given with two bottles of DMP (dimethyl phthalate) oil, which is mosquito repellent, to houses.
Dr. Bhat said that two ambulances have been pressed into service to shift the patients to hospital. Fogging is being done in villages daily.
Awareness on preventive steps is being created through students in schools and at religious programmes. Street plays have been staged and audio-visual media have been used to spread awareness.
The Health Department found that mosquitoes are breeding in rubber plantations on the coconut shells being used to collect the latex after tapping. They are also breeding on the stagnant water on the leaves of pineapple plants in addition to breeding on the stagnant water on the fallen arecanut leaves in arecanut plantations.
Awareness has been created among farmers on source reduction. The department has been trying to reduce the number of cases to zero, he said adding that people having fever should get them tested in the fever clinics opened in health centres in Muduru, Kollur, Halli Hole, and Vandse.
The department has enough stock of medicines for treating dengue patients. People should cover their bodies fully when going out of their houses to avoid mosquito bites, he said.
