KOTHAGUDEM: Health officials anticipating more of dengue and malaria cases this year have begun a household survey for 1592 habitations in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district to collect data on seasonal fevers.
The two seasonal fevers have not registered a high in the last year while officials concentrated more on checking Covid19 spread.
The officials are collecting details also of Covid19 cases apart from dengue and malaria from August 1 to 7. Bhadradri district is known for Malaria and dengue cases. Such cases were less last year. About 293 malaria and 26 dengue cases were reported last year.
Nearly 186 malaria cases have been reported in the district this season and the patients are under treatment in various hospitals. About ten dengue cases were identified this year. Dengue and malaria cases are more in the monsoon and winter seasons. It is likely that there will be more malaria and dengue cases in the district in the coming months, officials said.
Special efforts are on in the high-risk areas and the teams from medical and health department are asking the people to maintain ‘dry-day’ every Friday in all the gram panchayats.
As many as 297 habitations in the district have been identified as high-risk villages. These include Pusuguppa, Kurnavalli and Karakagudem in Charla mandal and three villages in Aswapuram mandal including Mangapeta and Ravilachalaka and Regugudem in Paloncha mandal.
Medicines are being given to patients immediately after identifying the fevers. The seriously affected are being sent to hospitals.
Distribution of mosquito nets is on and the officials are encouraging people in these areas to sleep under mosquito nets and not venture out in open areas. About 1.53 lakh mosquito nets were distributed so far and another 25,000 would be distributed.
Dropping of gambusia fish in the water sources to check malaria is also on. A fish pond in the premises of ITDA office in Bhadrachalam is made ready to raise the fish for this purpose. District malaria officer Venkateswara Rao said clarity will emerge on the seasonal fevers after the survey.
