Health Dept steps up efforts to prevent vector-borne diseases

Amritsar, July 4

With the district reporting a total of three dengue and four chikungunya cases, the Health Department has intensified its drive to detect and destroy mosquito larvae by conducting frequent inspections of the residential areas.

District Epidemiologist Dr Harjot Kaur said, “The department has constituted 15 teams which visit door-to-door to conduct inspections. So far, mosquito larvae have been detected at 111 places.”

She said the owners of 63 houses were given a warning while 48 others with gross violations at their homes were issued challans. She said the teams visited a place twice where larvae was detected for a follow up inspection.

“We destroy larvae wherever these are found. Residents can also help in preventing the spread of mosquito-borne diseases by checking their breeding in their homes and surroundings,” she said.

She said, “Mosquitoes can breed at unusual places such as in discard boxes of refrigerators, flower pots, tanks of air coolers, old junk items thrown outside and other items which can hold water.”

“To prevent mosquito breeding, it’s important that items which can hold water are checked regularly and water drained out,” she said, while adding that the people could also use motor oil in ponds and other such places where rainwater accumulates to kill mosquito larvae.

Dr Harjot Kaur said in case of a person experiencing dengue or chikungunya like symptoms, he/she should get a diagnostic test conducted from a government hospital. She said the people should not panic, but must take all necessary precautions to prevent mosquito bites.

Meanwhile, health experts have said that flower pots, refrigerator trays, tyres and tanks of coolers should be emptied every week. They said residents should use mosquito repellent creams and wear full body clothes to save themselves from mosquito bites.