Via The Times of India: Dengue cases unusually high this year. Excerpt:
The Chennai Corporation has reported 15 dengue cases this month, taking the tally this year to 130 cases, civic officials said adding that anti-mosquito fogging operations had been intensified. According to statistics, this is the highest number of dengue cases between January and May since 2008.
"The spread of dengue and malaria in summer is rare as the mosquito density is low due to absence of water stagnation. But this year, it is higher than previous years," said a senior corporation health official.
For more than one week, corporation health officer P Kuganantham had denied that there were any dengue cases in the city. Health officials said many areas, especially in Adyar, were being surveyed for conditions conducive to mosquito breeding.
"In summer, many people store water in containers that could be breeding point of mosquitoes. So we are doing random checks," said an official.
Officials said that fogging would be conducted on Tuesdays (5am-7 am) and Thursdays (4pm- 6pm) in 200 wards.
"We have deployed more staff for fogging operations especially in Royapuram, Anna Nagar and Tondiarpet. If we find a case in any locality, all preventive measures will be taken. Recently, we conducted a similar drive in Kalakshetra Colony," the official said.
People coming from southern districts such as Tirunelveli, Virudhunagar and Madurai are being screened at the Central railway station, Egmore Railway Station, Koyambedu bus terminus and the Tondiarpet terminus.
Officials said the situation in the city was not alarming, but said there was a possibility of the virus spreading from passengers from southern districts.
