Dengue cases have been going up steadily in all districts as intermittent rains and hot spells have been very favourable for mosquito breeding.
Senior Health officials said that dengue cases, which seemed to taper off by mid-July, have come back with a vengeance with the second spell of monsoon rains.
In the last 20 days, from September 1 to 21, the State has recorded 3,700 suspected/ probable cases and 1,106 confirmed cases of dengue. And as for deaths, 20 probable dengue deaths have been reported during the period.
The dengue cumulative figures for the year so far looks like this: 28,446 probable cases, 10,177 confirmed cases, 93 probable dengue deaths and 38 confirmed deaths.
Earlier, in July this year, going by the disease trends, public health experts projected that probably by the end of the year, the State will end up with 30,000 probable dengue cases and about 10,000 confirmed cases.
However, the hot weather spells interspersed with short spells of monsoon rains seem to have upset all calculations.
“The last major outbreak in the State was in 2017 and given the cyclical pattern in which dengue strikes, we expected a major dengue outbreak this year. All prevention and control measures had been initiated in April-May itself . But the case graph which peaked and tapered off in mid-July is now on the rise. Household breeding of mosquitoes has gone up but dengue seems to have disappeared from public memory,” a senior Health official said.
A statement issued by the office of the Health Minister said that collective action was required to check vector breeding and bring the spiralling case graph under control.
Following a high-level review meeting, it has been directed that the Health department, local bodies and district administration should work together and chalk out plans to strengthen vector control measures from ward-level onwards.
Areas mapped as dengue hotspots should be published and the information handed over to local bodies.
Hospitals have been asked to stock up drugs. Dry day should be observed on all days from Friday to Sunday for the next eight weeks
Private hospitals will be asked to report all viral fever cases. Dengue management should be strictly as per the disease management protocol so as to prevent deaths and the Health department will take up continuous training of doctors in the dengue management protocol
Senior Health officials also said that a State-specific dengue management protocol had been drawn up, on the basis of the clinical experience in dealing with dengue cases.
They claimed that disease surveillance and reporting was strong in Kerala, and that high case numbers were an indication that all cases were being accounted for.
DMOs have been asked to strengthen the functioning of vector control units. The public should ensure that their homes, indoors as well as the premises, are not vector breeding grounds . They should also desist from self-medication and seek the advice of a medical professional in the event of viral fever.
