Builders asked to join fight against dengue

Delhi health minister Ashok Kumar Walia said on Monday that directions had been issued to builders to ensure that construction workers were protected from dengue and malaria after several cases of the vector-borne diseases were reported from areas where construction activity was on.

Delhi health minister Ashok Kumar Walia said on Monday that directions had been issued to builders to ensure that construction workers were protected from dengue and malaria after several cases of the vector-borne diseases were reported from areas where construction activity was on.

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Walia, concerned that the number of cases of malaria and dengue has been on the rise for the past few days, said the civic agencies had been told to intensify their fogging exercise.

"A large amount of debris is found lying in the city, resulting in water stagnation and insanitary conditions. It has been found that maximum cases of these diseases are reported from the locations where construction activity is going on. It is imperative on the part of the builders to ensure that mosquito-breeding does not take place and adequate anti-larval measures are taken up on a regular basis," Walia said.

The health minister was reviewing preparations to combat the spread of dengue and malaria. Apart from health department officials, doctors from government and municipal hospitals and officials of civic agencies attended the meeting.

Two people have died of dengue this year. Most cases of dengue have been reported from south, central and civil lines zones of the civic agencies. A large number of cases from the neighbouring states also come to Delhi for treatment, Walia said.

“I believe that these figures are not complete. I have told all government and private hospitals to be on alert with cases of dengue and malaria. I have also told hospitals to prepare reports of the cases of the diseases and submit in 15 days,” Walia said.

Walia said the next 45 days are crucial for the health department as the weather is conducive for vector-borne diseases to spread. This year, the civic agencies have served 68,099 notices to people where they found the larvae and prosecuted 4,277 people.

Eight new cases

Eight new cases of dengue were reported on Monday, taking the number of persons affected by the disease to 76. According to the South Delhi Municipal Corporation one person, a nine-year-old girl has died of the disease at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

However, another casualty, a 38-year-old man, was reported dead from Delhi government’s Lok Nayak Hospital on Saturday morning. The death is yet to be registered as dengue death by the civic agency.