Special alert should be sounded against seasonal diseases in summer, including influenza, chicken pox, food and water-borne diseases like hepatitis A and typhoid, the Health department has said.
Also dengue fever was rising in some parts of the State, especially Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Ernakulam and Palakkad districts.
A meeting convened by the Health department to review the seasonal diseases on Tuesday has suggested that the dengue hot spots be mapped and the public alerted.
The meeting sounded an alert against influenza in children and that treatment should not be delayed.
The water shortage during summer has brought along unique issues also. Public should be wary of the water-borne illnesses, including hepatitis A, through water from unsafe sources, ice cubes made from water of suspect quality etc. Because of the intense heat, food items are likely to spoil faster, something that all food businesses should be mindful of. Water theme parks should be on the alert against infectious diseases.
The meeting directed the Food Safety department to adopt special measures to ensure food safety and to intensify inspections. Ice cubes served in juice shops would be subjected to strict quality control measures.
Officials said that stringent measures were being taken to control hepatitis outbreaks in the State, especially in Malappuram, where fatality due to hepatitis had been reported.
Health Minister Veena George, Principal Secretary (Health), A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish and senior Health officials were present at the review.
