Mangaluru: Deputy Commissioner S Sasikanth Senthil on Friday appealed public to observe July 28 (Sunday) as ‘Dengue Drive Day’.
“From 10 am to 11 am, everyone should check for mosquito larvae on their house premises and should destroy stagnant water with the collective goal of source reduction,” he stressed while addressing mediapersons during the ‘Meet The Press’ programme.
Senthil said that the mosquito control mechanism is the major step for effective control of dengue. The breeding places of ‘Aedes Aegypti’, the mosquito causing dengue, are found within the house premises. Therefore, the enemy inside the house should be destroyed first. “This is only a beginning. The people are requested to check for breeding sites in their house premises on weekly basis and destroy mosquito larvae,” he said.
He said intermittent rain has resulted in excessive breeding of mosquitoes this year. As on July 25, 482 dengue cases have been recorded in the district. Of these, 400 people have recovered, he added.
Senthil said that the command centre, headed by him, is compiling data on fever, suspected dengue and confirmed dengue cases. The centre is also carrying out source reduction, information dissemination and municipal cleaning, he explained.
He said the city has been divided into 100 grids. Three high risk clusters Jeppu, Kodialbail and Kadri are being monitored extensively. The breeding sites have been destroyed in these areas, he said.
District Health Officer Dr Ramakrishna Rao said those complaining of fever should take complete rest and consume plenty of clear fluids. As there is no specific drug to cure dengue, Paracetamol is prescribed to the patients in order to bring down the fever, he said.
Dr Rao said dengue fever will subside with proper treatment and rest. However, diabetics, cardiac patients, people suffering from kidney ailments, HIV, tuberculosis, heavy smokers and teetotalers should be extra cautious
about dengue, he advised.
He said ‘Aedes Aegypti’, which causes dengue, breeds in clean water and bites during the day. The eggs, laid by the infected mosquitoes, are also infected, he added.
Dr Rao said the breeding sites fo the mosquitoes should be destroyed to control the population of Aedes Aegypti. The breeding sites will be in small places, such as the refrigerator tray, pots, vases, house terrace and so on, he said.
He said people can carry out fogging inside their houses using ‘sambrani’. Mosquito repellents can be used. Neem oil is a natural mosquito repellent and smearing neem oil on exposed parts of the body is the effective way to keep mosquitoes away, he added.
Deputy Medical Superintendent Dr Sachidanand said that intermittent fever is found in malaria while the dengue fever is continuous. Hydration is important for patients bedridden with fever. The main symptoms of dengue are eye pain, body ache, headache and skin develops red rashes after three days of fever, he explained.
A J Medical College Dean Dr Ashok Hegde and Health Education Officer Jyothi were also present. The programme was organised by Dakshina Kannada district administration, Health and Family Welfare Department, A J Hospital and Research Centre and Dakshina Kannada District Working Journalists’ Association, at Patrika Bhavan.