The Hindu : Health Department's monsoon alert

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jun 14, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram

Health Department's monsoon alert

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM June 13. The district health administration has sounded a monsoon alert on the possible outbreak of leptospirosis, dengue, malaria, cholera and other diarrhoeal disorders.

An official release from the District Medical Officer, K. Shailaja, said major diseases could be avoided by resorting to simple measures.

The public is advised to chlorinate wells in the domestic compound with bleaching powder once every fortnight. Open defecation is fraught with risk of inviting an epidemic.

Piling up of wastes should be avoided. Children should be restrained from playing in rain water.

Paddy and plantation workers should wear protective gear on their hands and feet. Houses and premises should be kept clean.

Discarded containers, coconut shells, disposable glass, plastic cups and tyres are favoured breeding sites for the genus of mosquitoes that spread dengue fever, the DMO said. Stagnant water on sunshades and terraces are also habitat of the `aedes aegypti' and `aedes albopictus' mosquitoes which are vectors of dengue.

Saucers in flowerpots, tanks and the cups into which water released from refrigerators should be cleaned at least once a week. The fresh water breeders that spread the dengue infection also make a habitat of water collected in grindstones positioned outside the house.

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