September is the month of dread for the city residents, as this is when the Aedes aegypti mosquito takes wing and carries the Dengue virus across the territory, finding new hosts.
Several cases of Dengue have been reportedly surfacing in the city hospitals, and according to an estimate, since January, over 1,800 patients have tested positive for the virus in the city. September customarily sees a steep rise in the numbers.
“I took my mother to a private hospital for some other ailment, and at the nursing station, I could see Dengue written against several patients. The hospital had a pregnant woman down with the disease. The epidemic seems to be viral across the city,” shared Syed Mohinuddin (name changed), a resident of Banjara Hills.
Periods of heavy rain broken by dry phases is the ideal environment for the larvae to thrive in stagnant water. And the city does not have dearth of places where the water remains stagnant — open plots, terraces, commercial areas, function halls, schools, low-lying areas, road medians and others.
However, with major portion of the Entomology staff being given election duties, the anti-larval operations by the GHMC have taken a backseat in the city, which might lead to an uncontrollable situation if left unaddressed.
Of the 1,600 Entomology workers designated to carry out anti-larval operations in the city, 60-70% have been reportedly assigned the duties of Booth Level Officers (BLOs). They have been told to ‘balance’ both the duties, which is a tough task since spraying of anti-larval chemical is a field job. Fogging operations too have taken a backseat owing to this.
Officials of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, however, deny that there is an unusual spike in the Dengue cases this month. Of the total cases recorded, about 50% are diagnosed through NS1 test, which is not reliable, they contend. Dengue fever has become endemic now, and a large number of people host the virus even without symptoms, they say.
“When they go with some other ailment, tests reveal presence of Dengue virus, and hospitals start the treatment,” an official said.
The Entomology wing has identified areas facilitating growth of the larvae across the city. These include 640 low-lying colonies across the 30 circles, where the rainwater accumulates over a long period of time. In addition, 7,900 construction sites, 3,702 schools, 850 function halls, 5,986 open cellars, 8,951 open plots and 12,794 locked houses, are all identified as the hotspots for Dengue mosquito breeding.
The officials also warn against stored water in drums, air coolers and other containers in the household, which offer favourable conditions for the mosquito.
