Dengue cases spike in Chennai, residents urged to remove stagnant water

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After being lashed by incessant rains and subsequent inundation, Chennai is facing another crisis with dengue cases on the rise. The number of cases reported in the city in the last few days has increased to 105 with Kodambakkam and Teynampet areas reporting the majority of them. Kodambakkam reported 18 cases, while Teynampet had 17 in the past three days. Meanwhile, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) officials have called upon the residents to remove the stagnant water from the residential colonies as well as terraces of their houses to prevent the breeding of Aedes mosquitoes.

While speaking to IANS, Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian said, "After incessant rains and waterlogging, the possibilities of mosquito breeding is on the high. However, residents must also try to clear water stagnation in their surroundings to prevent the breeding of mosquitos. The state health department is conducting several health camps in all colonies."

The state health department has commenced door-to-door health check-ups and provided medicines to prevent the spread of the disease. The GCC is using the services of breeding check workers round the clock to prevent the outbreak of dengue by destroying the mosquito larvae. It is also levying fines to people who are allowing water to stagnate at their residence including terraces that lead to breed mosquitos. The corporation is conducting area-wise surveys to find out the number of diseases in each area and to try and prevent the spread by considering this area as a cluster and taking preventive measures in a localised manner.

Soubhagyalaksmi Narayanan, a breed check worker under the GCC, told IANS, "People have to be more responsible to prevent the spread of the disease as in most residences where I had gone for fogging and checking, I found that there is water stagnation leading to the spread of the disease. Everyone should do their bit to prevent the outbreak of such diseases." The GCC has already opened control rooms based out its headquarters and has deployed fogging teams in all the wards to prevent the spread of the disease.

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