Untimely rains raise dengue worry

Patiala, June 2

Untimely rains in the month of May have left the district Health Department worried about the spread of vector-borne diseases due to collection of rainwater.

While the department has not recorded any new case of dengue, it has directed the civic body to make necessary purchases and enhance surveillance. In the past four years, the district was most affected by dengue last year.

District epidemiologist Sumeet Singh said his office had issued directions to the department’s block supervisors to enhance surveillance for dengue. “We held a meeting and issued the directions to block supervisors today. We had also held a meeting with officials of the Municipal Corporation and councils in the district in mid-May and directed them to check the fitness of fogging and other equipment and purchase larvicide,” he said.

Meanwhile, health teams today carried out a drive during which 23,053 sites in the district were checked for dengue larvae. The teams identified and destroyed dengue larvae at 122 places and issued notices to the owners of the properties where the larvae were found.

Health officials said residents should ensure rainwater was not collected in discarded utensils and containers.