Telangana readies against Malaria, Dengue

A meeting to discuss how to minimise the number of such cases was held on Thursday at National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) office. 
Mosquito
Mosquito

HYDERABAD: The onset of monsoon also marks the time when vector-borne diseases increase. Virus carrying mosquitoes breed in stagnant water and when it rains, uncovered pits, potholes or any vessel containing 60-ml of water is sufficient for vectors to breed. A meeting to discuss how to minimise the number of such cases was held on Thursday at National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) office. 

In Telangana, Hyderabad and Khammam continue to record the highest number of Dengue cases. Out of total 389 cases of Dengue from January 1 to June 26, 88 were reported from Hyderabad and 42 from Khammam. When it comes to Malaria, of the 440 cases, 165 are reported from Hyderabad and 101 from Kothagudem. Officials said the numbers increase from July when the frequency of rains increase. 

Officials from NVBDCP-Telangana said that they have identified 2,000 habitations where there is high risk of recording malaria cases. Even if two Malaria cases per thousand is recorded in a habitation, it is categorised as high-risk area. “Malaria is a focal disease-it is concentrated in some areas. The 2,000 habitations that we have identified are in Adilabad, Kumarambheem, Mancherial, Jayashankar Bhupalapally, Bhadradri Kothagudem districts,” said an official from NVBDCP. 

Each round of the spray is effective for 45-days. Health staff has taken up surveillance to find people who carry infection or disease-causing parasite but are asymptomatic. Blood samples are collected for tests as part of the surveillance in high-risk districts. In case of Dengue, around 100 habitations are marked as high-risk. Even if one case is reported, it is marked as high-risk and preventive steps are taken up there. Most of these habitations are in Hyderabad, Khammam, Nizamabad and Mahbubnagar.

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