The spike in the number of dengue and leptospirosis or rat fever cases in Kerala following the onset of the southwest monsoon has prompted the Health Department to take control measures in Coimbatore district.
P. Aruna, Deputy Director of Health Services, told The Hindu that the Department was monitoring whether dengue and leptospirosis cases were getting reported in hospitals in places bordering Kerala in the district.
“Mobile medical units of the Department are conducting fever camps in 12 blocks in the district on a regular basis to check whether there is a rise in the numbers of fever cases. Each team comprises a medical officer, nurse and a lab technician. The medical officer will give medicines for mild fever cases. Cases of severe fever are referred to government hospitals,” she said. The mobile medical unit is also equipped to collect samples for laboratory examination.
Following the death of a 52-year-old woman, allegedly due to dengue, the Health Department staff conducted a special drive at Idikarai in the district on Monday. The woman, originally hailing from the Nilgiris, had come to her daughter’s residence at Idikarai.
According to the Health Department, the woman had been admitted to a private hospital for high fever where she underwent a rapid antigen test for dengue. Though the result was positive, the Health Department has not confirmed the infection as she had not undergone IgM-Elisa, an antibodies-based test, which is considered as a confirmatory test. The woman, according to Health officials, had been suffering from diabetes and renal problems.
Despite the uncertainty in the woman’s infection, the Health Department conducted a special drive at Idikarai in which fogging, mosquito source reduction works and fever camp were conducted. The counter measures were mainly aimed at preventing the breeding of the aedes aegypti mosquito, the primary vector of the virus causing dengue.
“The staff also educated the residents on the importance of keeping the houses and premises clean to avoid mosquito breeding,” said Dr. Aruna, adding that there was no alarming number of dengue infections in the district.
While dengue is spread by infected aedes aegypti mosquitoes, leptospirosis is spread through the urine of infected animals, especially rodents. The bacteria causing leptospirosis is transmitted through contact of the skin and mucous membranes with mud or water which has been contaminated with urine of infected rodents and other animals.
