Dengue cases: Kochi Corporation under fire; health officials say situation under control

The civic administration of Kochi has come under fire following a significant number of dengue fever cases being reported from the city.

Thammanam-Kaloor areas were the focus of attention of health workers of the Kochi Corporation during the last fortnight as several cases were reported from there. Last month, the attention was on Mattanchery as several persons fell sick there.

Opposition councillors of the Corporation came down on the civic administration for what they termed as failure of the civic administration to control the spread of dengue fever in the city.

The councillors alleged that the civic authorities were downplaying the situation and even under-reporting the number of fever cases from the city. Though the civic authorities maintained that only 11 cases were reported in August, it did not reflect the health situation in the city. The 11 cases were the ones that tested positive for fever in the 12 primary health centres run by the civic body, alleged Congress leaders Antony Kureethara and M.G. Aristotle.

The Congress councillors said as many as 802 dengue fever cases were reported in the city in August. The Opposition councillors alleged that the highest number of cases were reported at Kaloor (137), Vennala (107), and Kuthappadi (99). The civic administration was downplaying the number of cases in its efforts to run away from responsibilities, they alleged.

However, a senior official of the Health wing of the Corporation claimed that the disease was under control. The situation in Mattanchery, Thammanam, and Kaloor was under control, and the number of cases had come down. The administration has stepped up mosquito control measures, including fogging, to kill adult mosquitoes. Workers have been deployed in the divisions to lead control of mosquito populations at sources. Larvicides are sprayed in drains to prevent breeding of mosquitoes, the official said.