Kerala - Kochi

Dengue fever: fogging, spraying taken up

KOCHI: Spraying and fogging activities were held in the city on Wednesday in the morning and evening, the bite time of mosquitoes, to check the mosquito population in the city. These activities were planned as part of the action in the wake of increased numbers of dengue fever reported from the city.

The meeting, in which the Minister for Health had participated, had called for simultaneous fogging in all Corporation wards. However, the action plan for controlling the mosquito index and reducing the number of sources that breed mosquitoes were taken up by the Health authorities and the Corporation independently of each other.

The meeting had also called for sharing tools for fogging as the Corporation has only 25 fogging machines. But the activity was carried out without much of sharing of such resources.

Hence simultaneous fogging as was decided during the Minister’s meeting did not take place.

Activities to check mosquito population were taken up in all the 13 Corporation divisions under the department, said the District Medical Officer. The Corporation Secretary said that fogging and spraying activity had already been going on from November 15 onwardsAnother official said that it was better to take up fogging activities in high mosquito index area first instead of simultaneous action in all wards.

The numbers of dengue fever cases have gone up to 35, with ten cases being reported during the last 10 days.

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