With the ongoing pandemic, dengue cases are also on the rise in the port town. Change of weather has given rise to dengue cases in the areas of Chicalim, Dabolim and Mormugao. It is a fact that most of the roads in the state have developed pot-holes. At some places, the pot-holes resemble huge craters. These pot-holes get filled with rainwater. It is pertinent to note that it rains intermittently. A spell of heavy rain is followed by bright sunshine. This happens to be the ideal condition for the breeding of mosquitoes which could be taking place in water-filled pot-holes on roads where there is less traffic. It is true that the female mosquito Aedes Aegypti, which spreads dengue, breeds in clean water. There could be pot-holes on the edge of the roads which are filled with clean rainwater. It would be prudent for the civic bodies and the panchayats to take necessary steps to prevent the occurrence of vector-borne diseases in their respective areas. There is no specific cure for dengue except symptomatic treatment including hydration and monitoring of blood count. Fogging is one way to kill mosquito larvae. This needs to be carried out by the civic bodies and panchayats at regular intervals as and when the weather permits.
