Chennai, Oct 5 (BPNS)

The Tamil Nadu health department is to increase fogging and other methods to control the multiplication of mosquitos as dengue cases are on the rise in the state.

The state health minister Ma Subramanian had on Monday met officials of the health department and directed officers to take measures for the control of mosquito multiplication ahead of the monsoon which is slated to arrive in the state from October 15.

Tamil Nadu has reported 2930 dengue cases in 2021 and of this 337 are active cases. Two deaths were reported in Tamil Nadu due to dengue and around 20 cases are reported per day in the state.

In 2020 on the other hand, the state witnessed fewer cases, and according to data available with the National Vector-Borne Diseases, the state of Tamil Nadu reported 2410 cases in 2020.

The state health department officials said that the state has tested more than 80000 samples in 2021 which is four times more than the general average testing of around 20,000 samples.

The health department officials have however warned the public that the disease may go up in October –November months as these months are considered as the dengue season and the increased number of cases before the season is a matter of worry to the department.

Data available shows that children under 15 years of age are most vulnerable to the disease in Chennai city Tondiarpet, Ambattur, Teynampet, Kodambakkam, and Adayar zones are the hotspots, according to health department officials of the Greater Chennai Corporation.

Health authorities have warned people to clear waterlogging as well as to prevent water from being collected in pots and other utensils as the possibilities of the larvae multiplying in such places are high.

Tamil Nadu health minister, Ma Subramanian while speaking to BPNS said, “The state health department is alert as well as the health authorities of Chennai and Madurai corporations where there was a spike in dengue cases. People should not allow waterlogging and clear it always so that the mosquito larvae are not developed in these places. “