The Health department has sounded an alert on dengue fever and leptospirosis across the State.
All districts have been asked to coordinate preventive activities at the grassroots with local self governments. The cooperation of the Animal Husbandry department should be ensured and all activities should be taken up before monsoon begins, it was pointed out at a meeting called by the Health department to review the pre-monsoon infectious diseases preventive measures that need to be launched.
Health Minister Veena George, who participated in the meeting, said that the surveillance of water-borne and vector-borne be strengthened and that more awareness programmes be taken up to create awareness among the public about the threat of disease outbreaks.
Last year, Thiruvananthapuram reported the highest number of dengue fever cases while Ernakulam reported the highest number of leptospirosis cases. These districts should strengthen preventive measures and heighten disease surveillance, it was directed.
Along with COVID surveillance, the surveillance of non-COVID diseases would also be taken up, for which special squads would be set up. The Integrated Disease Surveillance Project wing would meet every week and review the situation.
The meeting decided to strengthen the activities for the elimination of leprosy, filariasis, Malaria and Kala Azar. Microscopy training would be strengthened for Malaria detection, whereas activities for the elimination of Kala Azar would be focussed in the tribal belts. All preventive activities would be taken up as per the health calendar.
Those who were likely to come into contact with contaminated water or those who are engaged in farming activities should be administered doxycycline as prophylaxis.
The meeting pointed out that more attention should be given to the prevention and control of infectious diseases for the next five months. Corporation and municipality areas usually report more dengue and leptospirosis cases and hence steps to prevent water-logging and stagnation around houses should be adopted. Individual households should be warned against situations when vector breeding can happen indoors.
The meeting also sounded an alert against Nipah as it was in May last year that Nipah had re-surfaced in Kozhikode. The Principal Secretary (Health), Rajan Khobragade, Additional Director of Health Services (Public Health), V. Meenakshy, district medical officers, among other officials participated in the meeting.
