Kozhikode tops in dengue patients

KOZHIKODE: Kozhikode has the maximum number of dengue patients in Malabar.  The district witnessed seven suspected deaths, 439 confirmed cases and 2,443 suspected cases of dengue last month.   Malappuram comes second. It has more number of deaths--18 suspected deaths, a confirmed death, 198 confirmed cases and 1014 suspected cases. Health officers say that dengue has declined, but fever is being reported from the hot zones in both the districts.  The other districts-- Kannur, Wayanad and Kasargod-- have relatively less number of patients compared to Kozhikode and Malappuram.

In Kozhikode, Koorachundu, Kakkodi, Kakkoor, Kolathara, Ramanattukara and  Thiruvallur are the major hotspots of dengue. “Dengue is showing a decreasing trend compared to the past months. The destruction of mosquito breeding sources as  part of the mass awareness drive was crucial in this,” said District Medical Officer Dr. V. Jayashree.  The people  in  Koorachundu had begun to flee their houses  to escape the communicable disease.  The waste from pig farms  allegedly caused the stagnation of water sources which formed the breeding ground for Aegis mosquitoes.

“We chalked out an action plan and people from all walks of life  cooperated with the cleanliness drive. The panchayat has ensured stringent action against those  who handle waste improperly,” said Koorachund grama panchayat president Vincy Thomas. Officers at the district medical office in Malappuram lamented that self-medication had led to casualties in majority of the dengue death cases.