CHENNAI: Dengue cases in Chennai have crossed the 20,000-mark this year even as the health authorities said the situation has stabilised and fresh infections are showing a declining trend.
Health Secretary Tariq Ahmed said on Sunday that the focus was on testing all fever cases and ensuring timely clinical management, particularly when fever subsides, which, he said, could be critical for dengue patients. “We are testing all fever cases. Disease management is important, and it is essential to identify the illness clearly and manage it accordingly,” he said after inspecting dengue prevention activities in Teynampet zone.
According to data, Chennai had recorded 4,592 dengue cases so far this year, though no deaths were reported. A total of 16,254 tests had been conducted while 1,293 cases were reported in September alone.
However, when asked about reports that dengue infections had reached around 20,000, the Health Secretary said the higher figure reflected the broader testing of fever cases.
He said seasonal variations were among the reasons for the increase in dengue infections and added that priority was on bringing down and managing the caseload. “The situation has stabilised and is declining,” he said, adding that Tamil Nadu was prepared to manage dengue cases in both government and private hospitals.
The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has deployed 3,703 mosquito-control workers and is conducting more than 100 fever medical camps every day. Around 1,250 machines are being used for larvicide spraying.
Dr Ahmed visited a special fever medical camp on East Namachivayapuram 3rd Street in Ward 109 and reviewed mosquito-control measures. He went door-to-door distributing dengue awareness pamphlets. Drone-based larvicide spraying in the Cooum river was also inspected.
GCC Commissioner G.S. Sameeran said the civic body had imposed Rs.7.2 lakh in fines over the past month on commercial establishments, organisations and some households for failing to remove garbage despite repeated warnings.
He said the civic body would continue intensive vector-control measures in view of the intermittent rains, which could create breeding sites for mosquitoes in stagnant fresh water.
The Corporation is also continuing desilting of 44 canals and using drones for biological vector-control measures, Sameeran said.
With the Northeast monsoon approaching, the Commissioner said 1,400 km of the 1,600 km of stormwater drains identified as having blockages had been desilted. The remaining 200 km would be completed this week, taking the overall progress to 99 per cent.
The Corporation is working with the Water Resources Department, Chennai Metro Rail and Highways Department on long-term flood mitigation projects extending up to 2028. Priority works in the Kovalam basin are targeted for completion this month, Sameeran said.
He said the civic administration was preparing for the possibility of heavy rainfall this season, citing forecasts of a “Super El Niño”. In case high tides delay the discharge of floodwater into the sea, 215 relief centres and 111 community kitchens have been kept ready.
Fifteen IAS officers have been appointed as zonal-level coordinating officers and seven ministers have also been assigned responsibilities for coordinating monsoon preparedness measures, he said.
On the Corporation’s finances, Sameeran said the civic body’s finances had faced some constraints but the State government had allocated Rs. 1,100 crore towards clearing pending bills and Rs 300 crore as loan.
Another Rs 100 crore had been allocated by the Chief Minister specifically for monsoon readiness works, he said, adding that there was no shortage of funds for the monsoon-related works. Long-term capital projects would be taken up with financial assistance from institutions including the World Bank and JICA, he said.
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