As dengue cases rise, Tamil Nadu to organise 1,000 screening camps on October 1, says minister

Following instructions from Chief Minister M K Stalin, dengue fever detection camps will be held at 1,000 places tomorrow, Health Minister Ma Subramanian said.

With Tamil Nadu accounting for 363 active dengue cases including 54 in Chennai, the government on Saturday announced fever screening camps at 1,000 places across the state on October 1. In association with the civic bodies, the Health department has taken up control measures like reducing mosquito habitats, removing unwanted waste or objects like tyres and creating awareness among the people, to prevent dengue, Health Minister Ma Subramanian said.

Following instructions from Chief Minister M K Stalin, dengue fever detection camps will be held at 1,000 places tomorrow, he said.

'As 2,972 government and private hospitals have been identifying fever cases on a daily basis, the health officials have been told to prepare a list of affected persons in rural and urban areas, and take up disease prevention work immediately,' Subramanian told reporters here.

About 23,717 temporary workers have been involved in carrying out mosquito control activities in coordination with local bodies along with measures to contain the spread of the southwest monsoon-related infectious diseases, he said. All health facilities have been instructed to stock sufficient quantities of life-saving medicines and testing kits.

Officials at the Siddha and Ayurveda hospitals have been told to provide Nilavembu decoction and papaya leaf extract for patients at all Primary Health Centres (PHC), the Minister said and added that separate dengue wards have been established at all government hospitals to treat the infected.

'In 2022, out of 2,65,834 samples tested for dengue, 6,430 people turned positive. This year so far 2,42,743 samples were tested and 4,524 persons have been diagnosed with dengue,' Subramanian said.

'Yesterday, I visited the government hospitals at Thoothukudi, Madurai, and Vilathikulam and reviewed the state of preparedness to tackle dengue and flu cases. Sustained efforts are on to monitor the prevention or treatment of the fever cases,' he said.

The Minister would inaugurate the screening camp at Srinivasapuram in Mylapore here at 9 am.