THE GOAN NETWORK
PANAJI:
Conducive mosquito breeding conditions in betelnut orchards (Khullagars) is a focus area identified by health officials in their plan drawn up to tackle the dengue threat ahead of the monsoon this year.
Having mapped dengue cases to such regions where 'khullagars' abound, health officials have also asked the Agriculture department to instruct its officials, who routinely oversee agricultural activity in these regions, to be vigilant.
Additionally, the health department will be organising awareness programmes in these areas and will also hold 'Competitions' for 'clean khullagars' hoping that it will encourage owners to clean up their plantations vis-a-vis anti-larvae measures.
According to Dr Kalpana Mahatme, Deputy Director at DHS who heads the National Vector-Borne Disease Control Program, dengue cases in Goa have dropped nearly three times as compared to the first four-months period of last year.
However, with the State already witnessing pre-monsoon rain, the possibility of accumulation of water, especially in the 'khullagars' is high giving rise to mosquito breeding conditions, she said.
The DHS on its part continues its Dengue-prevention activity like cleaning, spraying insecticides and destroying mosquito colonies in the dengue hotspots mapped last year.
Last year, 95 cases of dengue were reported in the State from January to April. This year, however, the State has had only 29 dengue cases in the same four months -- seven cases in January, nine in February, seven in March and six in April.
All of April's six cases were from North Goa -- two in Mapusa while Aldona, Pernem, Candolim and Siolim had one case each.
Meanwhile DHS officials are inspecting areas which house ghettos of migrant workers as well as at construction sites where water is stored in open drums where risk of mosquito breeding is high.
Dengue stats for
2023 / 2024 /2025
January: 04 / 35 / 07
February: 07 / 20 / 09
March: 13 / 21 / 07
April: 15 / 19 / 06
