PANAJI
A few cases of dengue reported in the St Inez area of the capital have sent health officials of the Panaji Urban Health Centre in a tizzy with teams conducting frequent inspections of sites where Smart City work is going on in the area to check on possible mosquito breeding.
A handful of cases were reported in sporadic areas of St Inez over the last week and in keeping with the health department's strategy to tackle dengue, teams from the Panaji Urban Health Centre have zeroed in on the areas to keep a hawk-eyed watch on the situation.
Dr Sunita Arlekar, who heads the Panaji UHC, however, said that the situation is not alarming as the cases are too few and the situation is under control.
"Inspections of the sites where Smart City work is being carried out have been done. We haven't found any instances of water stagnating or mosquito breeding," Dr Arlekar said, adding that they have also resorted to regular fumigation of these areas.
Overall in Panaji, dengue cases were detected in Mala, Neuginagar, Bhatulem, and some government quarters at Altinho, besides more recently in St Inez. The health department suspects it is because of the ongoing work in the city.
Apart from conducting inspections and carrying out fumigation, health workers' teams are also creating awareness about the spread of dengue and the do's and don'ts by going door to door in people's homes, especially in the localities where cases are detected.
According to Dr Kalpana Mahatme, DHS Deputy Director who heads the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme, 90-odd cases were reported in the entire State this year until April 30 in Panaji, Vasco, Bicholim, Mapusa, Candolim, Siolim, Saligao, Colvale, Pernem and Curchorem.
Dr Mahatme said fewer cases were reported in comparison to last year and attributed a part of the credit to awareness drives conducted among migrant worker settlements in the Vasco area.
